Head of Rossotrudnichestvo at the National Centre RUSSIA: "Communication between people strengthens peace"

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As part of the International Cooperation Forum at the National Centre RUSSIA, the Head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Yevgeny Primakov, highlighted the importance of people’s diplomacy in building the future. According to him, it is the connections between individuals, communities and non-governmental organisations that form the sound foundation on which peace and mutual understanding can be strengthened.

"We are moving in an unpleasant direction, and trust between nations can only be strengthened through communication, dialogue and precisely this kind of people’s diplomacy. When official dialogue in many areas has been severely affected, it is the relationships between people, communities, the non-governmental sector, educational and cultural organisations that become the sound foundation for consolidating peace," said Yevgeny Primakov.

The Head of the Agency focused separately on specific programmes for working with foreign participants: "We are actively developing educational exchanges — the 'New Generation' programme enables thousands of young foreign delegates to get to know Russia. We pay special attention to work with students: Rossotrudnichestvo acts as the operator for selecting foreign citizens to study at Russian universities under the Government of the Russian Federation’s quota. And of course, we would like these young people to retain a sense of warmth towards Russia. Therefore, together with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education and other ministries, we are working to create special associations that help strengthen their ties with our country."

Yevgeny Primakov also noted the importance of working with foreign journalists and promoting Russian-language literature abroad.

"We are running the 'Honest View' media award and internship programmes for foreign media. We encourage international journalists to write about Russia — to write the truth about Russia. And we are increasing the number of textbooks we send abroad so that people can learn the Russian language and read Russian literature," added the Head of Rossotrudnichestvo.

The International Cooperation Forum has become the key event of the large-scale programme marking the 100th anniversary of the founding of the All-Union Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries (VOKS) in 1925. Representatives from more than 100 countries discussed the role of people’s diplomacy in advancing international dialogue and maintaining mutual understanding and stability in a multipolar world.