Last December, a Decree by the President of Russia "On Celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the Establishment of the Tambov Namestnichestvo (Vice-regency)" was signed, and the composition of the organizing committee for the event was recently approved. Yevgeny Pervyshov, the Head of the Tambov Region, has joined the organizing committee as its deputy chairman.
The decree "On the Formation of the Tambov Namestnichestvo from 15 Uyezds (Districts)" was issued on September 16, 1779. The official inauguration of the Namestnichestvo took place on December 15, 1779. As an administrative-territorial unit, the Namestnichestvo was short-lived and was subsequently transformed into the Tambov Governorate. This makes it all the more significant that this period marked a crucial milestone in the political and economic history of the Tambov region. This stage of our region's development is often—and quite rightly—associated with the figure of Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin.
"Although the anniversary is still three years away, preparations for the celebratory events have already begun—and this involves more than just the work of government officials," says Pavel Moiseev, Rector of the G.R. Derzhavin Tambov State University. "The Derzhavin University community will also make its own intellectual contribution to the celebratory program. The 250th anniversary of the Tambov Namestnichestvo serves as a powerful stimulus for further research by historians, scholars of statecraft, and philologists. It is an excellent occasion to revisit the remarkable chapters of our region's history and an opportunity to pay tribute to the key figures of that era—among whom Gavrila Romanovich undoubtedly holds a prominent place."
Another significant date—the 150th anniversary of the birth of Saint Luke (Valentin Feliksovich Voyno-Yasenetsky)—will be marked in 2027. An organizing committee was established on September 8 of this year to implement the Russian Presidential Decree "On Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Birth of Saint Luke of Crimea (V.F. Voyno-Yasenetsky)." The committee includes Metropolitan Feodosiy of Tambov and Rasskazovo and Sergey Chebotarev—a statesman, scholar, and educator who has dedicated many years to teaching and is well-known to generations of the Derzhavin community. Sergey Alekseyevich currently works in the Secretariat of the Tambov Region Government and heads the Department of Performing Arts at our university.
It is only fitting that the 150th anniversary of Saint Luke is receiving significant attention from the academic community at Derzhavin University. To honor his ministry and dedicated service, the university is hosting readings and other educational and scholarly events; furthermore, a memorial plaque was installed in 2024 on the building where future medical professionals—followers of Saint Luke’s legacy—are trained.
