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The First Catherine Forum, which was held in Moscow on December 12-13, 2023, became a large-scale and deep dialogue about Russia’s role in the world, international relations and everyone’s responsibility for a common future.
The first item on the program of the event was a public dialogue about the role of Catherine II’s manifestos “On the acceptance of the Crimean Peninsula, Taman Island and the entire Kuban side under the Russian State” and “On the invitation of foreigners to Russia.” These important historical documents, issued 240 and 260 years ago respectively, became the conceptual basis of the Forum, designed to draw parallels between the past, present and future, and to show how, in modern geopolitical conditions, Russia is becoming a place for residents of Western countries to live a new life.
In search of stability and prospects, people abroad are increasingly turning their gaze to Russia, which can become for them a “saving ark”, a place where traditional spiritual and moral values have been preserved for centuries and the unique identity of each people is preserved.
“Our Constitution provides guarantees for the preservation of the unity and cultural diversity of peoples in the Russian Federation. We are a country that takes care of the history, traditions, languages of each people, while at the same time doing everything to ensure that our main identity is a national, all-Russian civil identity,” - these are the words Magomedsalam Magomedov, the Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Presidium of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation opened the Forum on interethnic relations.
At the Catherine Forum, they talked about Russia’s enormous potential. Despite unprecedented external pressure, the key factor for resettlement is Russia's provision with everything it needs for a comfortable and sustainable life - from the scale of the territory and the abundance of natural resources to economic conditions under which highly qualified foreign specialists will be able to fully realize themselves.
“Seventeen and a half thousand sanctions are directed against us. We have adopted more than two hundred laws that have allowed us to seriously improve the economic situation, strengthen our defense capabilities, and strengthen international relations. So, Russia has mobilized in opposition to the difficulties that are being imposed on us, and they, without hiding, are waiting for our collapse. It becomes obvious that everything is happening exactly the opposite: there is power in truth,” - Deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the All-Russian public-state organization “Assembly of the Peoples of Russia” Vladimir Vasiliev.
Russia is a large multinational country that bears responsibility for the future of the world community and preserves and promotes traditional spiritual and moral values. For those who share these values, for those who are ready to integrate and live according to the rules of community life that are hundreds of years old, Russia offers decent conditions for a new life.
“You can’t even imagine how many requests our embassies and consulates receive from people who say that they would like to come to our country so that their children have the opportunity to maintain their identity, to be boys and girls, the way their parents gave them. When we started receiving these requests, it was several years ago, I’ll tell you honestly, it caused bewilderment, and sometimes such an inner smile. We didn't even understand what we were talking about, but that was about 8-9 years ago. People turned to us, perhaps, in their fate, the last arbiter, the last friend, the last way to preserve their identity, including their families,” said Maria Zakharova, director of the Department of Information and Press of the Russian Foreign Ministry, in her speech as part of a public dialogue.
Andrey Belyaninov, Secretary General of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, cited specific facts and figures: “Our partners talk about the readiness of 2.5 million Germans to move to Russia. This is a serious signal. I think it’s important that this is supported.”
During the public dialogue, a descendant of the family of Catherine II, a German journalist, president of «Deutsche Lebensbrücke e. В.» in Munich, a member of the board of the “Almanach de Gotha” in London, Prince Eduard von Anhalt, noted that cultures, traditions and mentalities merge in Russia and this creates a unique environment for the prosperity of both collective and individual development: “Today we heard many wonderful examples how Russia lives now under the yoke of sanctions, and I think that this can be compared with the times when Catherine II ruled on the throne. I would also note that each of the peoples of Russia has its own strong voice, and this is truly incredible.”
An interesting discussion took place at the “Everyone’s Responsibility for a Common Future” platform, organized by the International Union of Non-Governmental Organizations “Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly”. Here we were talking not only about strengthening international cooperation through public diplomacy, but also about the challenges and tasks that society around the world faces today.
Secretary General of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly Andrei Belyaninov raised an important topic - the policy of division on religious grounds, which is used today by those who are trying to hinder the development of friendly relations between peoples and states: “The policy of division concerns all sectors, all areas of human knowledge and existence. It turns out that Islam is sometimes associated with terrorism. It is not right. We need to speak about this loudly and say that this is wrong! A very large number of preachers and false imams appear who have not studied anywhere. They preach the word of Islam without understanding what they are talking about. All religions have such adventurers. And when, for example, Saudi Arabia or Qatar declare that they want Islam to develop, the people who live in these territories fear that terrorists will suddenly come. This is a problem and we need to talk about it.”
Agreeing with Andrei Belyaninov on the issue of the existence of a problem, Member of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Chairman of the Union of Graduates of Soviet and Russian Universities in the Kingdom of Bahrain Yusif Zeinal explained: “I think that in religion, in principle, there is no difference between people. The fact that someone is Arab or non-Arab, what color their skin is, makes no difference, that’s for sure. I can also say that in recent years, something happened, earlier there was no such attitude towards Islam. Islam is a peaceful religion."
At the same time, the participant in the discussion noted modern changes leading to peace and mutual understanding between peoples: “The world is changing every day. We see good trends towards a multipolar world. Most of the nations are in favor of changing the world. But not only the principles need to be changed, but also the world structures that control everything. We want us to have balance, honesty and fairness towards people... For us, BRICS is a good example of interaction...
The Eurasian Peoples' Assembly today unites people on the principles of cooperation, unity and equality. I have a proposal - we can call our organization not only the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, but also the Assembly of the whole world.”
Co-Chairman of the General Council of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, member of the State Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Alexandra Ochirova suggested that everyone deeply understand the tools of development at the state level: “Morality and truth are the regulator and the most important resource that created a person the way he is today. Not so much productive forces, human needs, but these categories,” said Alexandra Vasilievna. “Today it is very important to understand that in every country, throughout the world, there is one problem - the problem of lack of strategy.”
The conversation about tools for the development of society and relations between peoples at the session of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly “Everyone’s responsibility for a common future” was supported by Alexey Dzermant, director of the Center for the Study and Development of Continental Integration “Northern Eurasia” (Republic of Belarus): “Our task is to find approaches to development societies that would harmonize this world. This is where the role of public diplomacy increases...
Throughout history, Russia has been the state, the civilization that has offered solutions for the harmonization of the whole world. This is the same idea of the ark.”
Also, within the Catherine Forum there were several sections and a plenary session “Russia as a “new ark” for Europe and the whole world.” The Eurasian Peoples' Assembly, as a partner of the forum, organized several sections where the key problems of today's international relations and instruments for the development of states were discussed.
Experts discussed the experience and positive practices of public associations at the section “Supporting compatriots and friends of Russia abroad.” Current cases were presented, where participants talked about personal experiences in promoting the Russian language and traditions in other countries and using the tools of public diplomacy to strengthen friendship and good neighborliness between the states of Eurasia.
The section "Business Diplomacy: From People's Trust to Trust of Economies" was aimed at maintaining international dialogue on bilateral cooperation between Russia and Eurasian countries in various spheres of economic cooperation. From trust of people to trust of economies.
The colorful finale of the First Catherine Forum was the award ceremony for the winners of the II International Competition “Leader of Public Diplomacy”. It was organized by the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly with the support of the Presidential Grants Foundation.
The First Catherine Forum was attended by representatives of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, FADN of Russia, Rossotrudnichestvo, Rosmolodezh, senators and deputies of the State Duma, regional leaders, leading experts in Russian history and interethnic relations, leaders of all-Russian interethnic and national-cultural associations and international organizations, publishers and journalists of federal media, representatives of large corporations, foreign immigrants and compatriots with successful experience of self-realization in Russia.
In total, more than 600 people took part in the forum, about 100 of them were foreigners from near and far abroad, and more than 500 were from Russian regions, including foreigners living and working in our country.
The Forum was organized by the All-Russian public-state organization “Assembly of the Peoples of Russia” and the Federal National-Cultural Autonomy of Russian Germans with the support of the Council under the President of the Russian Federation on Interethnic Relations, the Federal Agency for National Affairs, and the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.
The partners of the Forum were the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, the House of Peoples of Russia, the Choose Radio Group of Companies, the A.M. Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Support Fund, Novosibirsk Regional Russian-German House, Public Chamber of the Eurasian Economic Union. Information partners of the Forum are TASS News Agency, Rossiyskaya Gazeta, media holding GMP Radio, Designmaster, DRON.
Photo: Dmitry Voroshirin
