"I want and must be useful": Ivan Okhlobystin on his personal sense of the Motherland

Every person has their own personal way of feeling and understanding the Motherland. Actor, film director, writer and journalist Ivan Okhlobystin said at the National Centre RUSSIA that, for him, it is not so much a geographical concept as a state of spirit.

"What does the Motherland begin with for me? I cannot give a single answer; that would not be true. It is something that goes beyond what can be expressed in one definition. It has more to do with the spiritual sphere and an overall feeling. I am equally aware of the Motherland when speaking with someone from my native land, when standing in a field and looking at this vastness, and when standing on the cliffs of the Caucasus," said Ivan Okhlobystin.

Ivan Okhlobystin added that, for him, the Motherland begins with a personal, almost physical sense of belonging to a vast space that he calls his own. According to the actor, this feeling gives rise not so much to pride as to a sense of duty, and it is closely connected with the half-forgotten word "derzhavnost" ("statehood").

"For me, the Motherland begins with myself. I feel that I am the master of this land, and I understand that I am responsible for it to the extent that I can be. That is why I want, and I am obliged, to be useful. This obligation used to be called 'derzhavnost'. And for me, the Motherland is precisely this feeling of derzhavnost: that you must give everything to it, including your own life. It is not clear why; there is no logic in it. It is simply an inner understanding of one’s belonging, which makes me conscious. Perhaps this is how it can be said: for me, the Motherland is my personal awareness," concluded Ivan Okhlobystin.

The National Centre RUSSIA launched the nationwide survey "What Does the Motherland Begin With?" in the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, announced by the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin. The project, which brings people together around shared values and love for the country, is being implemented jointly with the Government of the Russian Federation and federal executive bodies. We invite everyone to share their view: what does the Motherland begin with for you? You can take part in the survey on our website.