Nowadays practical work in the field of children’s bringing-up and education makes it relevant to study cultural and educational ideas of Nicholas and Elena Roerich whose creative heritage represents considerable and not fully acknowledged contribution to development of Russian culture. Their own cooperation and mutual understanding in diverse activities give us a wonderful example of incorporation of the highest cultural and life ideals.
It is the problem of education that was given the propriety in their life. Many letters of Elena and essays of Nicholas who “had been a head of educational establishment” for more than 20 years witness about this fact.
Elena Roerich wrote: “There is a need to send thought to creation, broad tasks of the universal good of the space scope… We return again and again to the same cornerstone issue of education. The Highest Mind said: “Ignorance is a source of all suffering”.
Pondering on this issue Nicholas Roerich wrote: “we should not forget about the young generation which we are obliged to prepare for ascension. Thus, having collected the greatest treasures of the past and creating new images of heroism, deed and spiritual beauty let us show the youngster what is the true treasure, what comprises the Great Reality, what human spirit can be based on”.
Diverse creative activities of the Roerichs give rise to admiration and enthusiasm of those who touch one or another aspect of their legacy. How did they themselves treat their work? What was the main goal?
“Beginning from the first days my work was artistic, cultural and educational – wrote Nicholas Roerich – …from the very beginning until now we remain out of party progressists dedicated to cultural and educational activities”. One should mention that in this statement Nicholas Roerich begins from himself and finishes with generalization: “we remain… dedicated to cultural and educational activities” implying, first and foremost, Elena Roerich, his guide, friend, source of inspiration. If we begin to study the Roerich’s heritage from this point of view we will open both the integral system of ideas which are directed to practice, implementation of the great understanding of culture in life and a valuable source of inspiration in this huge work, inspiration which is underpinned by the example of putting these ideas into practice by the Roerichs themselves in Russia, the USA, India. The more we study these activities the more we’ll be convinced that all the life of Nicholas and Elena Roerichs, great zealots of the universal good, represented the service to “trice sacred”, as they put it, statement of Culture which is interlinked with education and enlightenment.