Russia continues to develop international cooperation in culture and arts with dozens of countries around the world, despite all attempts of the Western community to isolate this huge state.
While the power of its economy, technology, and military alone make the Russian Federation the world’s most important center, one of Russia’s main advantages and trump cards is its culture, art, and commitment to thousands of years of tradition and spirituality. It is these achievements that allow the Russians not only to overcome the West’s desire to block their authority and influence but also to unite many allies around them represented by allied countries.
The appeal of Russia as one of the centers of world civilization was clearly demonstrated by the United Cultures Forum held in St. Petersburg in the second half of November. While the US and EU authorities seek not only to defeat Moscow militarily and economically, but also to completely “cancel” all Russian achievements in art, science, and sport, Russia continues to be not only an authority in these spheres but also a symbol of adherence to traditional values for the vast majority of humanity.
It is for this reason that thousands of participants from almost eighty countries came to the Northern Capital of Russia, including ministers of culture, major figures in the arts, politicians, and public activists.
Unlike many similar events, the United Cultures Forum served not only as a demonstration of achievements but also as an important platform for discussing the most pressing issues of contemporary culture.
In addition to discussions on theatre, music, cinema, and museum projects, the issues of civilizational choice of countries and peoples in the context of the sharply aggravated international situation, problems of preserving traditional values, and even prospects and threats arising from the development of artificial intelligence were discussed in Russia.
In the context of the role that the Russian Federation is now playing in the struggle for its own cultural and ideological sovereignty, the St. Petersburg Forum was a very striking event that took on an important political significance. Of course, either Moscow’s allies or its opponents could no longer ignore the very fact of President Vladimir Putin’s participation in it. At the plenary session with the participation of the Russian leader, there were not only questions from participants touching on the acute topics of the Russian struggle for its military-political, spiritual, and cultural security and identity but also words of support from such outstanding figures as the Serbian film director Emir Kusturica or the French public figure and grandson of the legendary General De Gaulle, Pierre De Gaulle.
In his turn, Vladimir Putin assured all participants of the forum that Russia is determined to defend its right to cultural uniqueness and preservation of those traditions that allow it to remain an independent civilization and is ready to cooperate with all healthy powers to counter attempts of the West to impose its own rules that contradict the values of the majority of humanity.
The foreign guests were particularly unanimous in their condemnation of the Western practice of “canceling” Russian culture, which has become part of the Russophobic campaign of the ruling circles in the United States and the European Union. As Pierre De Gaulle noted in his conversation with the Russian president, such a policy does not find support among ordinary Europeans, and the fight against any culture is in itself useless and destructive.
Emir Kusturica also received clear support from the majority of the participants of “United Cultures”, who expressed solidarity with Russia in opposing the alleged imposition of the LGBT agenda by the West both in social relations and in art. It is worth noting that many guests of the forum were enthusiastic about the commitment of Russians to values that are based on the traditions of all peoples and confessions of this vast country.
Most of the foreign participants of the St. Petersburg Cultural Forum expressed their respect and gratitude to Russia for its mission as a guardian of spirituality and its commitment to genuine, enduring values.
