Russia

Elvira Kunina is Vice President of IOV responsible for relations with UNESCO.  She chairs the Russian National Committee for Safeguarding Intangible Cultural Heritage created by the Russian National UNESCO Commission.

Elvira is the Director of the Russian National House of Folk Arts of the Ministry of Culture, or Russia House, with its head office in Moscow. Elvira manages a staff of professional experts and staff working in all genres of traditional arts.  The major divisions for which she is responsible are authentic culture, music and singing, choreography and dancing, amateur theater, the data base center and the video and audio center.

Russia House has 87 branch offices in every region of Russia where hundreds of experts and work on the local level to promote amateur folk art and artists.  Under Elvira’s direction, the offices organize festivals, master classes for artistic directors, craft exhibits and exchanges of amateur artists within Russia and abroad.  Through her efforts and those with whom she works, the traditions of Russia’s many ethnic communities have been recognized as a valuable part of Russian heritage worthy of protection.  The organization has its own publishing house and editorial board, which produces both scholarly publications and lay journals.  She recently celebrated her 35th anniversary in this position.

Russia House is a UNESCO partner in Russia for traditional arts programs.  Because of this connection, Elvira is actively engaged in UNESCO work both within Russia and at the headquarters in Paris.  She has the distinction of being a member of the jury that selects of experts that determines which projects are listed as a “Masterpieces of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.”

Elvira is a graduate of the Moscow College of Cultural Management and the Moscow State Institute of Culture where she studied amateur theater.  She has worked as artistic director of the House of Culture of Miners in Karaganda and in the Cultural Division of the Regional Trade Union Council.

Because of the range and diversity of the many cultural and ethnic groups found in Russia, Elvira has produced festivals featuring Russian traditional culture, dance, costumes, folklore and music.  She works to safeguard these skills and to pass them on to the younger generation.

She has been honored by her government for her work and talent.  She holds the title “Merit Worker of Culture of the Russian Federation,” and has been awarded the Order of Friendship and the Order of Honor.  She recently received the “Letter of Gratitude” from the President of the Russian Federation. Elvira is the author of numerous publications on Russian traditional culture.  She also has a reputation as a gourmet chef.