Ella Maillart (1903-1997) est une des voyageuses les plus étonnantes du XX siècle. Sportive d’élite, exploratrice en quête de vérité, écrivain et journaliste par nécessité, photographe par goût, elle parcourt dès les années trente les régions les plus fermées de l’Asie centrale dans des conditions qui relèvent de la plus pure aventure. Elle devient célèbre pour ses multiples exploits sportifs, son courage, ses voyages et ses livres, qu’elle publie en rentrant de Russie soviétique, de Chine, d’Afghanistan, du Tibet, du Népal et de l’Inde. Sa rencontre avec la philosophie orientale transforme sa vision du monde. Désormais, celle qui cherchait la différence entre les cultures et les hommes en perçoit les ressemblances. Les photographies d’Ella Maillart manifestent une grande qualité de regard et une parfaite originalité. Elles montrent aussi sa subtile intelligence du monde.
Bookshelf
Ella Maillart. Sur les routes de l'Orient. Actes Sud, Musée de l'Elysée, 2003.
About the author
Nadia Sikorsky grew up in Moscow where she obtained a master's degree in journalism and a doctorate in history from Moscow State University. After 13 years at UNESCO, in Paris and then in Geneva, and having served as director of communications at Green Cross International founded by Mikhail Gorbachev, she developed NashaGazeta.ch, the first online Russian-language daily newspaper, launched in 2007.
In 2022, she found herself among those who, according to Le Temps editorial board, "significantly contributed to the success of French-speaking Switzerland," thus appearing among opinion makers and economic, political, scientific and cultural leaders: the Forum of 100.
After 18 years leading NashaGazeta.ch, Nadia Sikorsky decided to return to her roots and focus on what truly fascinates her: culture in all its diversity. This decision took the form of this trilingual cultural blog (Russian, English, French) born in the heart of Europe – in Switzerland, her adopted country, the country distinguished by its multiculturalism and multilingualism.
Nadia Sikorsky does not present herself as a "Russian voice," but as the voice of a European of Russian origin with the benefit of more than 30 years of professional experience in the cultural world. She positions herself as a cultural mediator between Russian and European traditions; the title of the blog, "The Russian Accent," captures this essence – the accent being not a linguistic barrier, not a political position but a distinctive cultural imprint in the European context.
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