The art of communication: Putin called culture a means of dialogue between countries
Representatives of more than 70 countries gathered in St. Petersburg at the XII International Forum of United Cultures. Artists and experts from Europe also came to the Northern Capital. One of the key events on September 25 was Vladimir Putin's performance on the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. The President spoke about the role of culture in international dialogue, the use of modern technologies, and Russia's willingness to share its humanitarian practices, from the "Pushkin Map" to historical memory preservation projects. What initiatives the Russian leader has proposed to the international community can be found in the "Izvestia" article.
Geography of participants and history of the St. Petersburg Cultural Forum
The XII International Forum of United Cultures is taking place in St. Petersburg. For three days, from September 24 to 26, leading artists, experts, ministers and legislators from dozens of countries discuss the development of culture in the face of rapid technological changes and political contradictions.
Two days of the forum are over, and the main result is already obvious: despite external pressure and attempts by the West to "abolish" everything Russian, large-scale cultural isolation has completely failed. The proof of this is the fact that this year delegates from more than 70 countries came to St. Petersburg. On the sidelines of the forum, cultural development issues were eagerly discussed, for example, by Italians.
""We are from Italy and came here to learn more about Russian culture," one of the foreign guests told Izvestia.
— Did you get there without any problems? — the correspondent of "Izvestia" asked.
—With a transfer," he replied with a smile.
Cultural dialogue finds ways to bypass any logistical barriers. The presentation of the book "Russia and Italy. From Ancient Times to Peter the Great" is the first volume of a large—scale study that will cover the historical period up to 1960 in the future.
What has become one of the world's most respected tribunes today began as a local initiative. For the first time, the Cultural Forum was held in autumn 2011 at the "Lenexpo" exhibition complex on the initiative of the St. Petersburg Committee for Culture and brought together representatives of 60 Russian regions. The success of the first step showed the need to enter the international arena. After a forced three-year break due to the pandemic, and then the restructuring of the entire international agenda, in 2023 the organizing committee announced a reboot and a name change. The site was named the Forum of United Cultures. Under this brand, in 2023-2025, it finally took shape as the main manifesto of cultural sovereignty and multipolarity.
Chairman of the Union of Theatrical Figures of the Russian Federation Vladimir Mashkov at the XII International Forum of United Cultures in St. Petersburg
— Despite all attempts to abolish it, the culture of Russia will have a huge impact on the development of mankind. And today's forum is proof of that," Vladimir Mashkov told "Izvestia".
Vladimir Putin's key statements at the plenary session at the Mariinsky Theatre
This year's business program is divided into 10 key sections: experts analyze in detail topics from "Cultural sovereignty in the 21st century" to the fate of classical art education. "Nine" main locations in St. Petersburg have become platforms for discussions about the future of art, including the Alexandrinsky Theater, the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Lenfilm Film Studio and the "Manege" Central Exhibition Hall. The central event on September 25 was a plenary session on the New Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, attended by Vladimir Putin.
In his speech, the head of state formulated the global mission of culture in the modern world and emphasized that Russia has historically developed as a multinational space where unity is based not on unification, but on careful preservation of the identity of each nation.
"Culture is able to build bridges between people through any contradictions, and serves as an essential and irreplaceable means of communication and dialogue where political and economic ties are frozen and put on hold due to various kinds of contradictions, sanctions, and restrictions," the Russian president said.
The Head of State elaborated on the need for deep integration of classical cultural heritage and high technologies. Today, Russia is actively working to ensure that modern digital platforms, interactive formats and big data analysis tools help expand the horizons of art. The foundation for such development remains the vocational education system. The President bluntly stated that the Russian school of personnel training rightfully occupies a leading position on the world stage: Russian theater universities and art academies, cultural institutes, conservatories train conductors, directors, art critics, and artists of the highest level and class.
At the same time, modern challenges require constant updating of training profiles. As part of the Strategy of the state Cultural Policy until 2030 and the industry programs being developed, key attention is paid to the training of directors, curators, playwrights and art managers who are sensitive to both the demands of modern audiences and advanced technologies.
Russia builds culture not as a privilege, but as a right and opportunity for everyone, and is open to sharing its experience and learning, certainly learning from others, the president said.
Vladimir Putin confirmed Russia's readiness to share its best practices in this area with foreign partners. The "Pushkin Map" was cited as a successful example, a program that gave young people from 14 to 22 years old free access to museums, theaters and film screenings.
— The "Pushkin Map" model is easily adaptable for other countries. You can change the denomination, age limits, and list of institutions, while maintaining the principle of direct access to culture and freedom of choice," the president emphasized.
""Among other socially significant projects, the Head of state noted car clubs and mobile libraries for small towns, the large—scale initiative "Soul of Russia" to support folk art crafts, as well as the digitalization of living history - the creation of open electronic archives of memories, oral histories and photographs of residents of small villages and villages.
The international context of cooperation also continues to be actively saturated. The President highlighted the initiatives that are rapidly gaining momentum today.: This is the Eurasian Film Academy, the "Diamond Butterfly" award within the framework of the BRICS. "Russian Seasons" programs, Days of Spiritual Culture, cultural cross—years, and international school theater exchanges are also demonstrating large-scale returns.
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