Cultural Diplomacy as a Humanitarian Vector of the Greater Eurasian Partnership

29/11/2021 10:33

As is known, the International St. Petersburg Cultural Forum planned for November 2021 did not take place due to the pandemic.

The Eurasian Peoples' Assembly, for the fifth year organized its sites in the program of the Forum. This time the Assembly prepared a panel discussion "Cultural diplomacy - the humanitarian vector of the Greater Eurasian Partnership" and held it on November 23 in an online format.

The purpose of the discussion is to promote the development of cultural diplomacy as an effective tool for cooperation, mutual understanding, preservation of diversity and cultural pluralism in the Eurasian space.

Well-known international experts - partners and members of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly took part in highlighting relevant topics.

Mikhail KAZINIK, musicologist, popularizer of classical music (Russia / Sweden)

“I am sure that the future of humanity, the future of the world is precisely in worshiping culture, in culture upheaval and mutual work on the grandiose awareness of the importance and understanding of each other at the highest level. Where there is culture, there is civilization, there is humanity, there is a striving for peace.”

Alexandra OCHIROVA, poet, philosopher, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Co-Chair of the General Council of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly

“Culture is a semantic sphere that has always connected and continues to connect the space and times of civilizations. And as you know, without meaning and purpose, not a single people, not a single state, not a single person can develop. "

Olzhas SULEYMENOV, People's Writer of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Co-Chairman of the Council of Elders of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly, Director of the Center for the Rapprochement of Cultures under the auspices of UNESCO (category 2) (Kazakhstan)

“Cultural diplomacy has been a way of human survival since the Paleolithic era. And now cultural diplomacy works in this direction. It is the spiritual tool that has been developed throughout history helps to cultivate humanity."

Irina DARNEVA, member of the presidium of the World Forum of Spiritual Culture, member of the presidium of the International Association "Peace through Culture", Chairman of the Council for Spiritual Culture of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly

“Today there is a search for solutions, what the human world will be like, what the man of the future will be like, what the society of the third millennium will be like. The Eurasian Peoples' Assembly has a great opportunity to set a strategic global trend that we can express at the World Public Summit."

Andres SANTANA, Head of the International University Center for Eastern Europe and Central Asia at the University of Cadiz (Spain)

“Culture and only culture will save humanity. Whenever politicians are unable to conduct a normal constructive dialogue between our countries, cultural figures build "golden bridges" between our peoples that maintain dialogue despite any political or economic difficulties and conflicts. "

Murad HUSEYNOV, People's Artist of Azerbaijan, laureate of international competitions, director of the International Mugham Center (Azerbaijan)

“If we are talking about the Eurasian space, then this is a huge number of cultures, a huge number of nationalities, each of which contributes to Eurasian integration. It would be interesting and useful for people to communicate at round tables, conferences, talking about the theory that brings them together."

Saad AL-RADI, director, actor, lecturer at Al-Mustansiriya University (Baghdad), member of the Iraqi Independent Association for Culture, Science and Arts (Iraq)
Matilda GOTRY, artistic director of the La Scierie theater in Avignon (France)
Guzel USMANOVA-GOBE, member of the UNESCO International Dance Council (CID UNESCO), president of the public association Swiss-Ural Creagroup, member of the Public Association of Tatars and Bashkirs of Switzerland Yuldash (Russia / Switzerland)
Timofey SHTAKHOV, Daria SLOZHENIKINA, representatives of the International Charitable Public Foundation "Dialogue of Cultures - One World"

The meeting was moderated by Elmira SHCHERBAKOVA, President of the Peace and Harmony Foundation for Social Initiatives, General Producer of the Theater Russia project, Deputy Head of the General Secretariat, Chairman of the Council for International Cultural Cooperation of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly.

First Deputy Secretary General - Head of the General Secretariat of the Eurasian Peoples 'Assembly Svetlana SMIRNOVA made a welcoming speech on behalf of the leadership of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly:

“Creating a discussion platform for people belonging to different cultures, religions and having different views is one of the key tasks of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly. This platform should become an effective tool for exchanging views and developing joint strategies."

The discussion "Cultural diplomacy - the humanitarian vector of the Greater Eurasian Partnership" is help to identify ways of integrating the peoples of Greater Eurasia on the basis of spiritual and moral values through the development of international cultural partnership, to understand the role and importance of such spheres as literature, music, painting, theater for the humanitarian development of society, cinema, folk art. The cultures of many nations are very different from each other. But if you look closely, they reveal similar images, attitudes, plots based on common values.

The participants discussed the issues of effective use of the unifying potential of cultural diplomacy and its significance for the future of civilization.

The discussion outcomes are the international experts’ proposals for the formation of the current agenda of the World Public Summit, scheduled for the end of 2022.