The idea behind the forum, sponsored by the CIS Arts & Sciences Initiative Group, is to encourage the artistic elites of former Soviet republics to unite on a humanistic platform against all forms of violence and ethnic and religious intolerance.
At a session in Moscow Tuesday, the Initiative Group, bringing together prominent members of the CIS' art and research communities, signed an address to the CIS heads of state ahead of their August 26 summit in Kazan (the capital of Tatarstan). The message urges the CIS leaders to engage in a meaningful discussion on humanitarian cooperation between their nations and take practical steps to promote it. It also urges them to support the first CIS forum of art professionals.
The Initiative Group argues the humanitarian sphere could provide solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing the modern world, including extremism and terrorism.
