Konstantin Zatulin spoke about his friend Alexander Zapesotsky: an intellectual of the highest standard

April 14 is the anniversary of Alexander Sergeevich Zapesotsky. This is an amazingly integral and at the same time multifaceted personality. An armchair scientist, a world-famous cultural scientist and a talented administrator, the rector of the successful and popular St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions. Philosopher and athlete. Socialite and public figure, ardent patriot of Russia. All this and much more can be said about Alexander Sergeevich. And this is also a talented friend. And his friends, the list of which could take many pages, reciprocate his feelings. We talked about Alexander Sergeevich with one of them – the first deputy chairman of the State Duma Committee on Affairs of the Commonwealth of Independent States, Eurasian integration and relations with compatriots, director of the Institute of CIS Countries Konstantin Fedorovich Zatulin.

— Konstantin Fedorovich, you and Alexander Sergeevich have been friends for many years. And Zhores Alferov, Daniil Granin, Andrei Voznesensky, Eldar Ryazanov were also friends with him. Mikhail Piotrovsky and Boris Eifman have been communicating for many years. What do you think attracts people to it?

“We’ve known each other for so long that it seems like we’ve always known each other.” In fact, of course, Alexander Sergeevich and I met at the beginning of the new century. And let this not surprise anyone, our acquaintance was connected with our common love of tennis. Zapesotsky invited me to his then already famous tennis tournament “University Duet” – it is held at the St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions on the eve of March 8th. I took part in this sports festival several times, playing in tandem with one of the professional tennis players. That is, in tennis language, in mixed doubles. Over the years, academicians, cosmonauts, and artists met on the courts of St. Petersburg State University. Here Governor Vladimir Yakovlev, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly Sergei Tarasov, artists Kirill Lavrov, Georgy Shtil, Nikolai Karachentsov crossed rackets. Among the ladies are such stars as Martina Navratilova and Anastasia Myskina. It was fun.

Having started with such fun and moved on to more serious matters, giving lectures, participating in Likhachev readings, scientific forums and conferences, we retained the sporting spirit and became friends. And now we meet not only in St. Petersburg or Moscow, but also in other places, on different banks.

Why are you drawn to Zapesotsky? In Russia, thank God, there are deep scientists and talented organizers. But on the fingers of one hand I can count those who combine these qualities together, in one person. Zapesotsky is not only not boring, he does his job with dignity and is always responsible for his word. It is no coincidence that during the elections he was a confidant of Anatoly Sobchak, Vladimir Yakovlev, and Vladimir Putin. This is a serious business and civil reputation. I hope he has the same opinion about me.

— What can you say about the scientific activities of Alexander Sergeevich? He is, after all, an international specialist, a culturologist, and a philosopher.

— Of course, we do not coincide in everything in our professions and scientific interests. Otherwise it would probably be boring. The positive effect of communicating with Alexander Sergeevich, even if we leave aside purely friendly mutual disposition, is that meetings with him enrich you. At the same time, we are united by a common language and the spirit of our conversations. Alexander Sergeevich Zapesotsky, born, as far as I know, in Kursk, is a 100% St. Petersburg intellectual. I, not a St. Petersburg intellectual, was pleased to be convinced over the years of a kinship of souls. Well, at least by participating in the discussion of Russia’s deep ties with Europe organized by Zapesotsky and Piotrovsky. The fact that such a discussion took place in 2022 against the backdrop of a rupture and sanctions is worth a lot. After all, we have a dangerously large number of those who are ready to abandon the European origin of the Russian people – under the impression of current events. I don’t want to hand over the Europe of Shakespeare, Prosper Merimee, Lope de Vega and Umberto Eco to the European Union or NATO. This is us – Europe. Europeans who reached the Pacific Ocean.

— The culture-centric concept of education developed by Zapesotsky is recognized by the scientific community as the most promising for Russia in the 21st century. What is responsible for the special success of the university, which he has led for 33 years? There’s a competition – up to 80 people per place!

– I’ll try to explain. And again using the example of tennis. What is the recipe for the uniqueness of the tennis lawn at Wimbledon? Nothing special, you just need to cut and water the grass every day for 150 years. Zapesotsky has been heading the St. Petersburg University of Trade Unions for 33 years. He knows his business and has not lost over the years the ability to put forward new goals and achieve them. He knows how, and he knows why.

I think this is the main thing. Those who are older and those who are younger feel it and understand it. Hence the competition and success.

— Alexander Sergeevich is a major researcher and popularizer of the legacy of D. S. Likhachev, who was an Honorary Doctor of St. Petersburg State Unitary Enterprise. You took part in the annual Likhachev Readings. Tell us about this experience.

— I gained respect for Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev, without even knowing who he was. In my youth, when I read his comments on Russian chronicles – in a book series that was not published for professors. That is, as in the Bible, “in the beginning was the word.”

I was not personally acquainted with Dmitry Sergeevich Likhachev, but I consider it an honor to be a participant and sometimes a speaker at the annual Likhachev readings, which are conducted by Zapesotsky. He was not just next to Likhachev, but he won over his free mind. This alone is enough to appreciate the very fact of holding the Likhachev Readings, during which different smart people meet and communicate.

— Back in the late 1980s, Alexander Sergeevich published a number of sensational studies on informal movements among Soviet youth. Then he wrote a PhD thesis on discos (!), the first doctorate in cultural studies in the country. And now many of his publications have an explosive effect. How do you evaluate all this activity and shockingness of his?

— It seems to me that Alexander Sergeevich always wants and can be younger than his age. He can do it. And he feels the pain points with his skin and doesn’t shy away from the topics. Such as, for example, about the role and responsibility of scientists and science at the moment when your country is conducting SVO. I can imagine Zapesotsky in various roles, but not as a relocant.

— In 1999, the International Astronomical Union named a minor planet of the solar system No. 6578 after Zapesotsky. Perhaps this is how the dreams of children of the 1960s come true. Alexander Sergeevich is a member of two Russian state academies of sciences and two foreign ones, an honorary doctor of five foreign universities. What more could you wish for him?

– The same as for yourself. I would like to live to see our rightness recognized, to victory. So that there is no shame for anything. Not in front of yourself, not in front of your children and grandchildren. So that peace comes to earth and to the soul.