THE ROERICH PACT AND BANNER OF PEACE

Being convinced of the transforming power of the culture, Nicholas Roerich devoted himself not only to artistic, but also to educational activities. The so-called "Roerich Pact" providing for the protection of cultural memorials of all humanity played an important role in strengthening friendship and cooperation between the nations.

The main task of the unfurled Roerich International Banner of Peace was to guard and protect the lofty monuments of artistic and scientific institutions and collections of the creative spirit of human genius from the havoc of war and acts of barbarity. The Pact was signed in 1935 in Washington by 21 countries in presence of the President F.Roosevelt.

“We need the Pact for culture memorials protection not only as an official body, but also as an educational law, which will, from the very first school days bring up younger generation with the noble ideas of preserving cultural values of the universe,” the Master wrote.

Nicholas Roerich's idea has won an international recognition. A.Einstein, R.Rolland, Bernard Shaw, T.Mann, J.Nehru, R.Tagore, J.Ch.Bose and many other outstanding scientists and artists of various countries backed up the “Roerich Pact” and his “Standard of Peace”. On the base of the Pact, the Act of International Convention on the protection of cultural values in wartime was signed in Hague in 1954 and then ratified by many countries.

From Jawaharlal Nehru’s Tribute to N. Roerich

“Pandit Nehru, Prime Minister, opening an exhibition of paintings by the late Nicholas Roerich, referred to the importance of paying special attention to India’s cultural monuments.

“I hope that when we are a little freer from the cares of the moment, we shall pay very special attention to the ancient cultural monuments of the country, not only just to protect them from decay but somehow to bring them more in line with our education, with our lives, so that we may imbibe something of the inspiration that they have.”

“One other fact so many of you may know about Nicholas Roerich and which is very pertinent in India especially, is his conception of preserving artistic and cultural monuments and the like. He started a kind of pact between nations for the preservation of these cultural and artistic monuments. Many nations agreed to it. I do not know exactly what the value of their agreement was because we agree to many things which we forget in times of war and trouble. We have seen recently in the late war the destruction of so many great monuments of culture in spite of all the previous agreement to protect them. Nevertheless, the fact remains that it is a tragedy for destruction to overtake these great cultural monuments of the past. We in India have a great number of them and it should be our duty to respect them, honour them and imbibe their inspiration.”

Nicholas Roerich Memorial Exhibition, December, 1947 – New Delhi

From: NICHOLAS ROERICH BY HIS CONTEMPORARIES (A FEW EXCERPTS)
W.Judge Press, Bangalore 4, 1964, Pages 2-3

From a Rabindranath Tagore's Letter to N. Roerich

“I am delighted to receive your letter and to know that your cultural colony in Nagar, Kulu, is thriving as it should. I have keenly followed your most remarkable achievements in the realm of Arts and also your great humanitarian work for the welfare of the nations of which your Peace Pact idea with a special Banner for protection of cultural treasure is a singularly effective symbol. I am very glad indeed that this Pact has been accepted at the League of Nations and I feel sure that it will have far-reaching effects on the cultural harmony of nations.”

1931

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE ROERICH PACT

1904 – Nicholas Roerich conceived the idea of the protection of artistic and scientific achievement of humanity, proposed it to the Society of Architects in Russia;

1914 – During the First World War Nicholas Roerich approached the then Russian Imperial Government with his idea. Though met with enthusiasm, it was delayed because of the war;

1929 - Nicholas Roerich proposed to the nations to establish a pact for the preservation of the artistic and scientific world treasures;

1930 – The Pact was submitted to and approved by the Museums Committee of the League of Nations. Founded: : “Committee of the Roerich Banner of Peace” (New York) “Comite pour le Pact Roerich” (Paris);

1931 – Founded: “Union Internationale pour le Pact Roerich” (Bruges, Belgium) 13th – 15th September, 1931 – First International Conference dedicated to the promulgation of the Roerich Pact (Bruges, Belgium);

1932 – 8th – 9th August, 1932 – Second International Conference dedicated to the promulgation of the Roerich Pact (Bruges, Belgium); Founded: “Fondation Roerich pro Pace, Arte, Scientiae et Labore” (Bruges);

1933 – 17th – 18th November, 1933 – Third International Convention of the Roerich Pact and Banner of Peace (Washington, USA);

1935 – 15th April, 1935 – The Treaty of the Roerich Pact signed by the representatives of 21 countries of the Pan-American Union in Washington, at the White House, at the presence of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President of America;

1954 – on 14th May, 1954 – "Act of International Convention on the protection of cultural values in wartime" was signed in Hague.

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