WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th June, 2021) The online marathon dedicated to the legacy of the iconic Russian poet Alexander Pushkin unified thousands from all continents in universal values of love, freedom and beauty, President of the Pushkin for the Whole World foundation, Julian Henry Lowenfeld, told Sputnik.
The Pushkin online marathon, organized by the foundation, took place on June 6�and celebrated the great poet's 222nd birthday.
"People all over the world had fun, heard the poetry of Pushkin, heard music to his verses. They heard Pushkin in at least 12 languages," Lowenfeld said.
Lowenfeld, a renowned translator of Pushkin from Russian into English and promoter of his global legacy, called the marathon a celebration of poetry and unity, as well as the best what the Russian culture has.
"For me, one of the most moving moments in this marathon was when we had a young girl from Israel reading one portion of the Pushkin fairy tail 'Tzar Saltan', and then just right after her, just a few kilometers down the road, a Palestinian boy read," Lowenfeld noted. "Maybe their parents are shooting each other - I hope not - but these children unified in love of poetry and through Pushkin. I think it is an amazing moment."
He found it difficult to provide an exact number of participants but noted that thousands of people from dozens of countries and all continents took part in the marathon.
"For many of us, we realized we were not alone, and I think this is the most important thing. The universal values that matter to everyone around the globe, and�we all basically have a need for love, freedom, harmony and beauty," he added.
The Pushkin for the Whole World foundation was undertaking the online marathon to raise funds to provide bilingual educational materials to the Russian diaspora around the world, and also to assist children with special needs.
