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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Colleagues, friends, ladies and gentlemen.

I am pleased to welcome to St Petersburg the participants and guests of the International United Cultures Forum.

On this occasion, it is being held under the motto “United Cultures, Common Values.” This concept – and its underlying meaning – resonates with the history of our Northern Capital and with the themes of the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, which we are observing this year.

The architecture of St Petersburg, its museums and theatres, its avenues and public gardens reflect the ability of culture to interweave harmoniously and enrich the most diverse traditions, worldviews and creative schools, while the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia underscores, reaffirms and proclaims the enduring value of diversity and accord.

Our country has historically developed as a space for interaction among peoples, languages and customs. For us, unity is not uniformity but cohesion, built on the careful and distinctive development of every people and every ethnic group.

Culture plays a key role in this process – as it does in our complex world, with its conflicts, profound technological and social transformations and competition between countries. Crucially, culture is capable of building bridges between people despite any differences; it serves as a vital and indispensable means of communication and dialogue where political and economic ties are frozen or brought to a standstill by various disagreements, sanctions and restrictions.

Such resilience to external circumstances is largely ensured by the qualities that distinguish cultural figures.

Friends, ladies and gentlemen, I am speaking of your commitment to professional ethics, of your understanding that genuine art – both classical and contemporary – belongs to everyone, and that common values are not about uniformity of views, but rather being pillars of support: dignity, family, historical memory, creativity and constructive labour. It is precisely these values that set the norms for how we speak and how we respect each other’s interests.

I consider it fundamentally important that the forum’s programme includes a youth component. The younger generations are not only the future but also the present of culture. They are the ones who today create new artistic languages, develop technologies and rethink traditions. I am convinced that their voice must be heard on an equal footing with the voices of authoritative, experienced masters.

This is all the more true given that many of the tasks discussed at the forum – including innovation and inclusivity – are effectively addressed by young teams. Overall, they help culture remain a space where dialogue between countries and peoples does not fall silent but, on the contrary, acquires ever new tools for its continuation. Indeed, it is with the participation of young people that modern formats of cultural interaction have been created and are being actively developed: virtual museum exhibitions, online educational programmes, internships, and digital creative spaces.

It is particularly valuable that all this makes international cultural exchange more flexible and accessible, and further broadens the artistic and scholarly context, helping to find common ground even where differences seem to outweigh points of contact.

Of course, cultural cooperation also develops in familiar formats. In various countries, the programmes of the legendary Russian Seasons, Cross-Years of Culture and Days of Russian Spiritual Culture are enjoying immense success. Our soloists and ensembles take part in the world’s largest festivals and competitions, while Russian cities warmly host tours by foreign artists.

I must also mention a very important initiative that is gaining momentum and stature. This is the Eurasian Film Academy and the Diamond Butterfly award within the BRICS framework.

I would also note the continuation of school theatre exchanges. This comprehensive educational practice teaches children to work in teams, to listen to their partners, and introduces them to the wealth of world literature and drama and the cultural heritage of peoples across the globe.

Friends,

Russia is always open to the closest cooperation in the cultural sphere, including by sharing effective practices such as the Pushkin Card. Let me briefly explain what this is.

The programme enables young people aged 14 to 22 to visit museums, cinemas, theatres and concerts with state support – that is, free of charge. It thereby brings culture into the daily lives of school and university students, offering them the chance to explore and appreciate it through personal experience.

We are ready to share these practices, especially since the digital model of the Pushkin Card can easily be adapted for other countries. Parameters such as the card’s nominal value, the age limits and the list of participating institutions can all be adjusted, while preserving the core principle – direct access to culture and freedom of choice.

Another example is mobile cultural centres and libraries. These allow residents of small towns, rural areas and remote islands to keep up to date with the current cultural agenda.

I would also like to highlight initiatives that make cultural heritage accessible – and that allow people to feel it as truly their own, in the most direct and personal sense of the word. One such large-scale project is Soul of Russia, which aims to preserve and develop traditional folk crafts through contemporary art and the creative industries. There are also ethno-cultural festivals which, alongside concerts and exhibitions, offer workshops on ancient crafts and local cuisines, as well as interactive performances involving the audience.

I should also mention projects that create digital archives of local history and lore. In small communities, villages and towns, residents’ oral recollections, photographs and documents are collected and made publicly available online. These initiatives are often launched by local museums and libraries, with the support of volunteers and local history enthusiasts. The result is a living, truly vibrant history – not merely a textbook entry (often a dry one at that), but the stories of real individuals that shape the destinies of cities, regions and, ultimately, the entire country.

Such archives can serve as a vital tool for preserving intangible global heritage, giving a voice to those whose stories often fall outside the scope of bigger narratives.

All these examples respond to genuine societal needs and operate at various levels, from individual experience to system-wide policy, making them relevant and valuable to nations and peoples everywhere.

The key is ensuring that these initiatives are sustainable in the long term. We currently have a State Cultural Policy Strategy in place extending to 2030. At the same time, specific development strategies are being drafted for various cultural sectors; these have already been launched for libraries and the creative industries, with those for the archival, theatre and museum sectors currently in preparation.

Personnel training ranks high on the agenda of these strategies. Today, we need directors, curators, museum educators, playwrights, and managers who understand art and are on the same page with the audience, while also well-versed in technology.

Russia’s academic education in the sphere of culture is among the best in the world. We can say it proudly and overtly. Our theatre schools, art academies, cultural studies universities, and conservatories have been training the best conductors, producers, art experts, and artists who all excelled in their professions. The most renowned creative teams, orchestras and museums across the world are eager to have them in their ranks.

Currently, we are working on linking classical education to new technologies. Digital platforms for promoting stage productions and films, virtual exhibitions, big data tools for working with the cultural heritage – they all complement each other, while also substantially expanding art horizons. Our goal, our task is to forge an alliance of traditions and technologies.

In conclusion, I would like to emphasise that all these areas – from the Pushkin Card I have just mentioned to the development of creative infrastructure, from school theatres to international exchanges – are united by a single principle: We are developing culture not as a privilege, but as a right and opportunity for everyone, and we are open for sharing our experience and, undoubtedly, learning from others. After all, shared values are not merely a declaration but everyday practice – routine, painstaking and living practice.

The International United Cultures Forum is one of the key platforms for such a practice. I believe in the importance of holding it as an annual event. The debates here always highlight specific and urgent matters, while the substantive dialogue between prominent cultural figures and those who are only starting out in this sector, as well as the ideas and solutions they devise – all this must be available to a wide range of culture specialists.

Of course, we must be on the lookout for successful initiatives and take note of them. This amounts to compiling a database of sorts for future projects. There must be a single media platform for publishing transcripts and video recordings from the forum’s platforms, as well as comments by and interviews with its participants and guests. This means your comments. We really need them and they really matter to us. We must publish the corresponding materials for sending them to the Russian regions and our foreign partners.

Ladies and gentlemen, your forum has long commanded a lot of respect within the international professional community, and the work it does really matters. I am convinced that it will keep facilitating the emergence of shared values and promoting mutual understanding between countries and nations.

Let me wish you fruitful work, interesting discussions and meetings. It goes without saying that I also wish you inspiration in your creative undertakings, and today’s concert and performances by your colleagues, who have all excelled in the world of art, will definitely serve this purpose.

Thank you for your attention.