The XVI Assembly of the Russian World opened on 2 November in the Russian capital, traditionally held ahead of the Russian National Day of Unity. The forum discusses ways to promote the Russian language and enhance the country’s cultural and historical heritage.

This year’s Assembly theme is “Spiritual and Moral Values of the Russian World.” At the official opening, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Sergey Lavrov, delivered a speech. In his address, the minister emphasised that Russia intends to continue working with like-minded individuals to shape a multipolar world order.

“We will continue to pursue an independent foreign policy, enhancing mutually beneficial cooperation with all those willing to work on the basis of equality, trust, and a fair balance of interests, thus contributing to an atmosphere of mutual understanding among nations. Each of you undoubtedly plays a role in this”

Sergey Lavrov Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation

Following the opening ceremony, a panel discussion titled “The Spiritual and Moral Values of the Russian World: Traditions, Challenges, and Prospects” was held, led by the Advisor to the Russian President, Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Elena Yampolskaya, and Mikhail Shvydkoy, the Russian President’s Special Representative on International Cultural Cooperation. Additionally, round tables on Russian language and culture are scheduled as part of the event.

The forum presented the experiences of the “Modern Russian” project by TV BRICS, which focuses on promoting the Russian language. Tamara Skok, Director of the Department of Innovative Linguistic Projects at TV BRICS, emphasised that the Russian language and culture are inseparable concepts.

“It’s impossible to express Russian culture without the use of the Russian language. They are entirely intertwined. Moreover, the Russian language itself represents a vast cultural layer – its musicality, its depth, its countless synonyms, and its most beautiful epithets… <…> A foreigner studying Russian is likely initially overwhelmed by the astonishing breadth of vocabulary,” she noted.

In turn, Professor Ruben Dario Florez Arcila from the National University of Colombia and President of the Leo Tolstoy Institute of Culture, in an exclusive comment to TV BRICS, noted that Russian culture is of great interest in Colombia, with classical literature seen as exemplary not only for the country but for the entirety of Latin America. Florez Arcila shared that his first read from Russian classics was Leo Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace”.

“It was the first powerful, extensive work I read in full. I consider myself lucky, as this book opened the door to Russian culture for me. Of course, the 19th century isn’t the 21st, but many of the questions explored in Tolstoy’s works remain relevant to this day,” he emphasised.

The XVI Assembly of the Russian World, organised by the Russkiy Mir Foundation, will run until 4 November. The international forum has brought together public figures, diplomats, Russian language and literature lecturers from leading foreign universities, journalists, and bloggers.

Photo: TV BRICS