Today, March 1, Nikolay Shumakov, the President of the Union of Architects of Russia and the Union of Moscow Architects, made a video address on Youtube. Highlights: to create is an architect’s mission; avoid temptation to act as if being a politician or a military expert; calm and objective view on the situation is needed.

We share the video address with a transcript below.

Video address (in Russian):


Nikolay Shumakov, the President of the Union of Architects of Russia and the Union of Moscow Architects:
“Dear colleagues and friends. I am addressing all who are closely following the latest developments in the world politics these days. The only thing I would like to call for is to be reserved and objective while judging what is happening. Negative and sometimes even offensive statements are more and more often made by our peers on social media and in chats. That means that in defiance of common sense we succumb to ideological pressure, which is characteristic of any war”.

“I call on each and every member of the professional community, on architects, whose mission has at all times been to create for the future: please, do not be tempted these days to act as if you were politicians or military experts. Such intentions can cause a long-lasting and persisting moral disease to contaminate the society. I am asking all to be contained and respect those on the frontline fighting for their children’s lives and future”.

It is unclear, whether Nikolay Shumakov’s speech came in response to the letter published yesterday by Alexander Chizhevsky, the President of the National Union of Architects of Ukraine.