Dr. Nemirovskaya received her PhD in Art Theory in 1974 and PhD in Philosophy from the Institute of Philosophy of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Between 1966 and 1978, she published over 100 articles on the philosophy of art in leading specialist journals while working at the Moscow Research Institute of Theory and History of Art.
In the late 1980s, her kitchen became a «salon» for intellectuals concerned about the future development of Russia. Living near the White House in Moscow, she and her husband Yuri saw up close the collapse of the USSR and the fitful transition to democracy during this critical period in Russia’s history. They met many leaders of the democratic transition and even helped to feed the human shield outside the building during the coup against Mikhail Gorbachev in August 1991. During this period, Dr. Nemirovskaya was also a correspondent for L’Express (1990−1993), covering the events after the fall of the Soviet Union and the early steps to govern the new Russia.
The School (then called the Moscow School of Political Studies) was established soon after the fall of the Soviet Union. They believed that society, and particularly Soviet society, needed an institution dedicated to the development of active citizens — a place where concepts such as the rule of law, an independent judiciary, respect for human rights, and a free press would be understood and embraced. The School was committed to instilling the core values of democracy and human rights principles in a younger generation of Russian civic and community leaders.
The invaluable work of Dr. Nemirovskaya and the School in support of Russian civil society and human rights has been recognized by many governments and foundations.
She was awarded the British Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003. The Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Dr. Walter Schwimmer, awarded the School the Council’s special Pro Merito medal in 2002. In 2006,. Elena Nemirovskaya was awarded the Hiroshima Foundation Award for Peace and Culture. In 2008, she became an Officer of the French National Order of Merit. In 2010, was awarded a Polish Bene Merito medal. In 2013, she received the Yegor Gaidar Award. In 2014, was made a Chevalier of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland. In 2023 she was awarded the Moscow Helsinki Group annual award for contributions to human rights and the Russian human rights movement.
