Issues of support for compatriots were addressed at the Fifth World Congress of Russian Compatriots Living Abroad, which recently took place in Moscow. President Vladimir Putin said at the congress that Russia will always protect the interests of compatriots living abroad. He also said a concept of Russian schools abroad has been developed. These schools are designed to promote domestic education and upbringing methods, the study of the Russian language and subjects such as Russian history, geography, culture and art.
“Our forum is taking place shortly after the Fifth World Congress of Compatriots, where President Vladimir Putin stated in no uncertain terms that one of the priority goals today is support and protection for our nationals who live abroad. In this respect, over the past five years, our forum has significantly expanded its geographical scope, which points to its relevance as a venue for the exchange of opinions about what is going on in the country and in the world at large and what concerns all Russian speakers,” Leningrad Region Governor Alexander Drozdenko said at the forum.
In his opinion, such forums provide a good framework for the discussion of ways to promote Russian culture and traditions abroad, financial support for compatriots and Russian language media outlets, and the shaping of information policy in the context of the Russian language and culture.
“Such a forum is a platform for exchanging opinions and making an array of decisions designed, first, to support our compatriots abroad, especially NGOs, and second, to provide objective information to our compatriots,” the governor said.
Programs to promote Russian culture and language are especially relevant.
“It is extremely important for us that our compatriots, wherever they live, receive objective information and are able to visit us. This especially applies to young people, and we plan to hold special contests for school students. Winners will receive prizes in the form of tourist vouchers to visit our region for an excursion,” he said.
It is also important that “Russian-speaking children who live in other countries are able to come here and receive objective knowledge of the history of Russia and modern Russia,” the governor said.
“This visit to Vyborg and our meeting with our likeminded compatriots is extremely important for us. I am grateful to the Leningrad Region because this is the only opportunity for us who live abroad to come together at the Baltic Forum of Compatriots, which is taking place in the 47th Russian region.
Unfortunately, such opportunities do not exist in the Baltic countries. I would like to thank our hospitable hosts and organizers for this,” said Sergei Seredenko, a member of the board of the Russian School of Estonia association.
The following panels took place as part of the forum: Cooperation and Development of Relations with NGOs of Compatriots Living Abroad; Russian Media and Information Policy Abroad in the Context of the Russian Language and Culture; and Russia and the World: 70 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Patriotic Upbringing and NGOs in the Context of Civic Activism and General Patriotic Aspirations of Compatriots Living Abroad. The guests are invited to visit a photo exhibition covering the activity of compatriot organizations abroad and a display of Russian-language print media.
