Eleven countries took part in the Dialogue Discussion Club addressing the preservation of cultural heritage held in Russia’s Vladimir region on Friday.
“All the countries attending and speaking at the event today have their own unique cultural heritage that they are striving to preserve and enhance for future generations,” Vyacheslav Kartukhin, head of the Dialogue International Discussion Club, told Sputnik.
He believes that the importance of such events is driven by the “current geopolitical situation” and the growing significance for Russia to foster bilateral relations with China, Central Asian nations and the Middle East.
“Everything is coasting along as usual in the Vladimir region. All foreign investors are still working here as before. Life goes on. Our guests have conveyed very enthusiastic and vibrant feelings, many of them visiting Vladimir for the first time,” Kartukhin pointed out.
Delegates from India, China, Turkiye, Sri Lanka, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Turkmenistan are taking part in the club’s regular session focused on the topic of “The Preservation of Cultural Heritage as a Factor of Strengthening Statehood”.
Dr. Sonu Saini, an assistant professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, highlighted the benefits of studying the Russian language. He mentioned that individuals returning to India after learning Russian have job opportunities as translators, interpreters, and researchers in organizations like BRICS and the SCO.
The event shed light on the positive prospects of cultivating ties between Russia and other countries, emphasizing the importance of communication and understanding.
“[T]he recent visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Russia has also taken the attention of all the Indian people. That this is the country with whom we are having a very good and prospective relationship. And that is going to be developed day by day,” he noted.
As Russian-Indian ties progress, so do work perspectives, Dr. Saini added.
Today’s event goes beyond the countries attending the “Dialogue” Club, as all the participants share a common understanding on the preservation of the world's cultural heritage, Chen Xinyu, associate professor at the Beijing Administration Institute, told Sputnik.
“That cultural heritage has no borders, it transcends languages, it transcends countries, it transcends nations, it transcends ethnicities, and it is something that all human beings in the world have in common. So, we hope that through this kind of dialogue and exchange, we can better promote the protection of the world's cultural heritage,” Prof. Chen said.
Fotso Takam Joseph Pascal, a delegate from Cameroon also spoke with Sputnik on the sidelines of the discussion club.
“I hope that our meeting today will mark the beginning of a greater cultural cooperation between our countries. So I’m sitting here now, and I realize that people here are not much different from Africans. Strikingly, we have many things in common. Of course, as a Russian proverb says 'one man in the field is still a warrior'. But I want you to know that Cameroon is with you, all of Africa is with you,“ said Pascal, Director of the RusAfr “Russia-Africa“ project.