International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature

The International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature (МАПРЯЛ / MAPRYAL) is an international non-governmental public association of teachers and other specialists in Russian language and literature, national unions of Russianists, institutes of Slavic studies, and departments and divisions of Russian language and literature. It was founded on 7 September 1967 at a constituent conference in Paris held by 44 scholars from 25 countries, on the initiative of scholars from Germany, France, Austria and Czechoslovakia. The initiative committee was led by Czech professor František Malíř, and the first president elected was Viktor Vinogradov, a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The association's stated purpose is the popularization, preservation, development and study of Russian language and literature as part of world culture. Its main tasks include promoting the successful teaching of Russian language and literature, facilitating the exchange of information and experience in developing and applying effective teaching methods, supporting the exchange of research experience in Russian philology, country studies and teaching methodology, organizing symposia, General Assemblies, congresses and exhibitions under the MAPRYAL banner, and supporting the preparation and publication of scholarly and teaching materials on Russian language and literature. MAPRYAL publishes the journals "Russian Language Abroad" (Русский язык за рубежом) and "MAPRYAL Bulletin" (Вестник МАПРЯЛ), and annually awards the A. S. Pushkin Medal "For great services in the dissemination of the Russian language." It also conducts school olympiads in Russian and regional and thematic conferences. Since 2003 its headquarters have been in Saint Petersburg. On 2 May 2019, at the next MAPRYAL General Assembly, Vladimir Ilyich Tolstoy, adviser to the President of the Russian Federation and chairman of the Presidential Council on the Russian Language, was elected president of the association. In spring 2001 the MAPRYAL presidium, meeting in Manchester, decided to join the International Federation of Teachers of Living Languages (FIPLV). In 2008–2009 MAPRYAL, with support from the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Oleg Deripaska's Volnoe Delo Foundation and the federal target program "Russian Language," held the European Festival of the Russian Language.

The mid-20th century saw a surge of interest in Soviet science, technology and culture in many countries, and more and more people on different continents chose Russian as a foreign language. University departments of Russian were created, preparatory faculties opened, and radio lessons in Russian appeared on broadcast schedules. A new direction in language pedagogy took shape: "Russian as a foreign language." Against this background, the question of ensuring scholarly dialogue between Russianists of different countries became increasingly urgent — a dialogue possible at the international level within a single professional association. The idea of creating a worldwide union of Russianists was put forward by representatives of the Federal Republic of Germany (Anatoly Alitan), France (Paul Pauliat) and Austria (Alfred Schmidt). The initiative committee responsible for realizing this initiative was headed by the Czech professor František Malíř. The committee's work culminated in a constituent conference held on 7 September 1967 with the participation of 44 scholars from 25 countries. The delegates proclaimed the creation of the International Association of Teachers of Russian Language — MAPRYAL. The association was founded in Paris on 7–9 September 1967 on the initiative of scholars from a number of countries as a public non-governmental organization. Viktor Vinogradov, a full member of the USSR Academy of Sciences, was elected president of MAPRYAL. Vinogradov was a Russianist linguist and literary scholar, doctor of philological sciences and academician of the USSR Academy of Sciences. At the constituent conference the goals of the association were formulated: to promote the spread of the teaching and study of Russian language and literature in the world; to stimulate the development of scholarly methods of teaching and coordinate research in this field; to help establish permanent links between teachers and other specialists in Russian language and literature; and to carry out the exchange of information and hold international conferences, seminars and symposia on theoretical and practical questions of teaching Russian language, literature and country studies. In addition to the constituent conference, 11 MAPRYAL congresses have been held. In spring 2001 the MAPRYAL presidium, meeting in Manchester, decided to join the International Federation of Teachers of Living Languages (FIPLV); Cecilia Ode, president of the Dutch Society of Living Languages and a researcher at the Institute of Phonetic Research of the University of Amsterdam, was appointed MAPRYAL's authorized representative in FIPLV. In 2008–2009 MAPRYAL, with the support of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Oleg Deripaska's Volnoe Delo Foundation and the federal target program "Russian Language," held the European Festival of the Russian Language. On 2 October 2009 the closing ceremony of the European Festival took place at the Opera and Ballet Theatre of the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, where the winners of the competition were awarded. The A. S. Pushkin Medal "For great services in the dissemination of the Russian language" was established in 1977 to mark the 10th anniversary of MAPRYAL. The first award was made at the IV MAPRYAL Congress in Berlin in 1979. Since 2003 the headquarters of MAPRYAL have been in Saint Petersburg. On 2 May 2019, at the next MAPRYAL General Assembly, Vladimir Ilyich Tolstoy, adviser to the President of the Russian Federation and chairman of the Presidential Council on the Russian Language, was elected president of the association. The XV MAPRYAL Congress was held in 2023, with opening and closing ceremonies documented on the association's website.

• 2023

  XV MAPRYAL Congress held; opening and closing ceremonies documented on the association's website.

• 2019

  Vladimir Ilyich Tolstoy elected president of MAPRYAL at the General Assembly on 2 May.

• 2009

  Closing ceremony of the European Festival of the Russian Language held on 2 October at the Opera and Ballet Theatre of the N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory.

• 2008

  European Festival of the Russian Language held (2008–2009) with support from the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Volnoe Delo Foundation and the federal target program "Russian Language."

• 2003

  MAPRYAL headquarters relocated to Saint Petersburg.

• 2001

  MAPRYAL presidium meeting in Manchester decides to join the International Federation of Teachers of Living Languages (FIPLV).

• 1979

  First awarding of the A. S. Pushkin Medal at the IV MAPRYAL Congress in Berlin.

• 1977

  A. S. Pushkin Medal established to mark the 10th anniversary of MAPRYAL.

• 1967

  Constituent conference held in Paris on 7–9 September with 44 scholars from 25 countries; MAPRYAL founded; Viktor Vinogradov elected first president.

International non-governmental professional association for the promotion and study of Russian language and literature as part of world culture.

• Russian Language Abroad (Русский язык за рубежом)

• MAPRYAL Bulletin (Вестник МАПРЯЛ)

• A. S. Pushkin Medal

• School olympiads in Russian

1. 1МАПРЯЛ — official website homepageru.mapryal.org
2. 2История МАПРЯЛ — official websiteru.mapryal.org
3. 3О нас — official websiteru.mapryal.org
4. 4Wikidata: International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literaturewikidata.org
5. 5Википедия: Международная ассоциация преподавателей русского языка и литературыru.wikipedia.org