Kuhnya^* – Talk of the Town of Novosibirsk
Wednesday Evening Debates in Jazzclub Truba, 2008

In May 2006 the AMSU and The Open Siberia Agency announced the joint creation of the first independent, public centre for international cooperation, expertise and discussion in Novosibirsk, Siberia.
This venue offers public debates, innovative community projects, as well as an annual Winter Academy - in collaboration with partner organizations in Siberia - for an audience of creative professionals, socially active business leaders and citizens in professional communities in the city of Novosibirsk and other Siberian regions.

The Third Place (Kuhnya), as the centre is called, organizes a weekly meeting in Jazzclub Truba. These meetings provide a public stage for social questions and observations. The following presentations, discussions, debates and projects have taken place in the last period.

In 2008 Kuhnya has opened up branches in Berdsk, Tomsk and Academgodorok as well as a Campus version for students. In October of 2008 the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk will join the lively practice of debates and debates.
Being a student program Campus discusses actual themes concerning youth and youth communities in culture, social life, politics and relationships.
Kuhnya opened its 2008 season on on February 17, with the public discussion Is Tomsk a Creative City? about local creative resources and city development. It is part of the Talk of the Town Festival in Tomsk (16 February 2008) which has been arranged in partnership with the Tomsk Regional Administration (Department of Culture), NGO Actual Action, the theatre Skomoroh and the Tomsk media.
Three public events were presented to a young Tomsk audience in April, as part of the Creative City Spring Academy.

Related: Kuhnya (The Third Place)
External link: www.kuhnya.nsk.ru

January

Are There Any Perspectives for A Market Economy in Russia?
16.01.08, Novosibirsk — Rifat Guseinov, Siberian researcher of Economic History, professor of Economics

…{ Guseinov thinks that Russians will never live like Swedes, French or Chinese because every nation lives like it prefers to live and economic systems cannot be copied. That is why we are building a special Russian one. }…

Berdsk, A City for Life Or a Bedroom Suburb?
20.01.08, Berdsk

…{ A lively discussion about the future of the city with a Novosibirsk city planning expert, a local businessman and the Deputy Mayor. Local patriotism com bined with an analysis of the possibilities for Berdsk to change from a Novosibirsk suburb into a city with strong strategy and identity. }…

Coercive Entrepreneurship: From Wild Market to State Control
29.01.08, Novosibirsk — Vadim Volkov, doctor of sociology, professor at the European University

…{ Volkov is the author of the first sociological analysis of the Russian mafia and criminal movement as a market institute. }…

Reality Shows As an Alternative to Private Life
31.01.08, Campus

Do We Have Enough Culture?
31.01.08, Berdsk

…{ About the cultural ambitions of the local economy and leisure. Novosibirsk critics/art-managers, local theatre activists and artists were invited. }…

Russia after The Elections
31.01.08, Academgorodok – Vitaly Tratyakov & Igor Mintusov

…{ A discussion between well-known Russian political experts: journalist/editor Vitaly Tratyakov, Dean of High School of TV in Moscow State University, founder of Nezavisimaya Gazeta, ex-chief of Moscow News, and political technologist Igor Mintusov, Director of The Center of Political Technologies Nikollo M, - about the future of Russian democracy as a management instrument or basic value. }…

February

To Moscow! To Moscow! Removal Or Emigration?
04.02.08, Novosibirsk — Michael Kaluzhsky, editor and journalist, former Novosibirsk citizen & currently Moscovite

…{ Is there life inside the Moscow Ring Road? Have Moscovites reached the crest of evolution? How to say bakery" ("bulochnaya") without an accent and do we need to? We discuss ironic and serious aspects of migration from the province to the capital, social and cultural adaptation of "ponaehavshie" (unkind Moscow term meaning newcomers who overcrowd the city with labour force, ambitions and bad taste) in the capital. }…

Gender Reload as A Civilization Problem
13.02.08, Novosibirsk — Andrey Shapovalov, researcher, historian

…{ This pre-holiday lecture on the eve of Valentine's Day is about love, sex, culture, consumerism, emancipation and the female role in upcoming social changes. }…

Reading Out of First Hand with Alexander Gavrilov
18.02.08, Academgorodok – Alexander Gavrilov

…{ Public lecture and talk moderated by one of the best Russian literature critics and key persons in publishing/literary process Alexander Gavrilov. About the real reasons of falling interest in reading in Russia, modern Russian literature and new public actions of promoting reading as a fashionable and "cool" occupation (video poetry, festivals, state programs). }…

Habitation for The Young – Where Can We Move out of The Dormitories?
28.02.08, Campus

Berdsk As a Recreation Zone – Where Can We Recreate?
28.02.08, Berdsk

…{ About clubs and barbeques as favorite local entertainments as well as other alternatives. Invitees: the local club manager and the sport camp director. }…

March

Women's Questions in Postindustrial Society
05.03.08, Novosibirsk — Yana Glembotskaya, Theatre Institute Novosibirsk

…{ In the 15th century the first "medieval feminist" Cristina Pizan described the city where women escaped from cruel treatment and brutal dominance in her book "Women's Town". In our days women have built this imaginary city, having turned actual mindsets and social gender roles. Who are this fortress' citizens and does it lead to freedom, responsibility or isolation? Yana Glembotskaya moderates the discussion about the changing social role of women in modern society on eve of March, 8, Woman's day. }…

Invisible
12.03.08, Novosibirsk

…{ 89% Russian orphans have parents! They have been taken from families after deprivation of parenthood or have ran away from cruel treatment in families. We call them social orphans. The new documentary film "Invisible" by Pavel Menyailo, the Novosibirsk filmmaker, is presented at "Kuhnya". The premiere was followed by discussion between Evgenia Solovyova, an adoption mother and President of Foster Parents Association, and Lyudmila Svistun, Head of the Guardianship Department of the City Administration, journalists and visitors. }…

April

Informational Campaign: How to Reach Out Your Audience
04.04.08, Tomsk – Jacques Monasch

Informational Campaign: Critical Success Factors of Cultural Entrepreneurship
05.04.08, Tomsk – Jeroen Busscher

Informational Campaign: Life Journal – Talk Show and Kuhnya presentation
05.04.08, Tomsk – Jeroen Busscher, Pieter van Empelen, Jacques Monasch, Joanneke Lootsma, Tatiana Tkachenko

World Financial Markets in Terms of Financial Crisis
09.04.08, Novosibirsk — Michail Alekseev, doctor of economy, financial analist

…{ This public lecture is devoted to reasons and history of the present crisis, possible consequences for economical systems and regulating measures of global and national authorities. But the most essential question is the forecast for Russia. Do we have a happy hope to stay at a separate safe island in the middle of financial storm thanks to our national reserve money and high oil prices? Definitely not. But it does not mean a catastrophe. }…

Global Warming as A Challenge for Actual Academic Science
24.04.08, Novosibirsk — Oleg Noskov, philosopher & columnist

…{ Why can't scientists explain the global warming anomaly, how is it connected with Darwin's evolution theory and will Western Siberia become Noah's Ark for civilization? }…

Why Does TV Make Us Stupid?
30.04.08, Novosibirsk — Anastasia Zhuravleva, journalist, TV-producer & political strategist

…{ TV degrades. That is the common opinion. Who started first? The audience - feeling tired of serious subject and creating social demand on entertainment, or TV-channels - heading for infotainment instead of competent discussion? }…

May

Post-Putin's Russia in World Expectations
07.05.08, Novosibirsk — Sergey Kulikov, political scientist, professor Novosibirsk State University

…{ Relations between Russia and western democracies are being commented on and discussed at the day of Dmitry Medvedev's, the new Russian president, inauguration }…

What's The Price for Free Medicine?
21.05.08, Novosibirsk — Elena Babyak, public health consultant; Lyudmila Plehanove, President of the Service for Protection Rights of Patients

…{ Receiving free treatment – is it cheaper? A year ago the Novosibirsk governor canceled paid services in Novosibirsk clinics by special resolution. We discuss how had it influenced accessibility, quality and effectiveness of clinics. }…

How I Became A Millionaire
29.05.08, Novosibirsk — Ivan Dyrkin, photographer

…{ Intellectual Wednesday" presented a special project called "Crazy Wednesday". Ivan Dyrkin, a person without passport, showed movies and video clips on our undivided love for money, interviews with businessmen and presented his theory on the transformation of money to energy and energy to mass - in any order. }…

June

Summing Up 2 Years of Novosibirsk Transport Reform
10.06.08, Novosibirsk

…{ Experts, City Council Deputies, journalists and public figures discussed the Novosibirsk public transport problems. According to a new research of the Committee for Protection of Pedestrians and Passengers Rights 81% of Novosibirsk citizens spend twice as much time for moving by public transport, 64% cannot get out at bus stops after 9 p.m. The general reasons, experts say, are non-effective management, an incoherent road system and gaps in city planning. }…

* This project is financially supported by the Social Transformation Programme Central and Eastern Europe (Matra) of the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.