News

27 October 2022

International Forum in Kazakhstan

On October 26, 2022, 5th International Forum of Rapprochement of Eurasian Cultures ‘Challenges of Planetary Consciousness: Culture and Conscious Interdependence’, took place in Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan. The Forum was organized by International Centre of Cultural Rapprochement under the aegis of UNESCO in the city of Almaty, together with Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and with the local Institute of Philosophy, Political Science and Religious Studies, in the framework of UNESCO International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures. Representatives of Kazakhstan and of a number of other countries of Central Asia (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan) took part, as well as researchers and experts from Azerbaijan, India, France. Russia, Spain and Turkey. Our Chair was represented by: D. Spivak, who gave a talk on intercultural dialogue in UNESCO strategy, G. Seidova, who spoke on the activities of the Northern Caucasus affiliation of our Chair, and by our foreign member, L. Yerekesheva, who gave a talk on ‘Interfaith Interconnection and Dialogue as Cultural Identification: Primordial Aspects of Interaction at the Example of Zoomorphic Style’.

Photo by G. Seidova.

Program in Kazakh, English, and Russian.
2 October 2022

30th anniversary of UNITWIN / UNESCO Chairs Cooperation Program

On September 29, 2022, a special session, dedicated to the 30^th anniversary of the UNITWIN / UNESCO Chairs Cooperation Program. The session was organized by the Secretariat of Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, together with Tisby University (Kazan), both offline and online. About 60 representatives of UNESCO chairs from many Russian regions, ranging from State Yakut University in the East to Federal Northern Arctic University in the West, took part in the session. Our chair was represented by the chairperson, D.Spivak, who briefly reviewed the main directions of our recent activities. Monitoring present-day state of interfaith dialogue and intercultural rapprochement in the North Caucasus, and giving a new impetus to our relations with the academic community of Kazakhstan, and of Central Asia as a whole, served as the focal points.

Photo: online part of the session.
23 June 2022

Scientific Conference dedicated to the 30th Anniversary of UNESCO UNITWIN

On June 17, 2022, Scientific conference ‘30th Anniversary of UNESCO UNITWIN Program’ took place at the premises of Peter the Great Polytechnic University in St. Petersburg, Russia, under the auspices of National Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, under the guidance of its Secretary, Mr. G.Ordzhonikidze. About 50 reports, presented by leading researchers and experts of this country, were dedicated to various aspects of the UNITWIN program, and its unique creative potential.
Head of our UNESCO chair, D.Spivak, gave an introductory talk at the plenary session, which was dedicated to main trends of the UNITWIN strategy, and talked, inter alia, about our Network of UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs in Interfaith Dialogue for Intercultural Understanding. He also served as moderator of a session dedicated to Digital Transformation. Our Scientific Secretary, M. Stepanov, gave a talk dedicated to new trends in preservation of cultural heritage and their impact upon intercultural dialogue.

Photo by D.Spivak
23 May 2022

4th International Bolgar Theological Forum

On May, 19. 2022, 13^th International Economic Summit ‘Russia – Islamic World’ was conducted in the city of Kazan, Tatarstan, Russian Federation. 4^th International Bolgar Theological Forum ‘Theological Legacy of Muslims in Russia’ took part in its framework. Head of our North Caucasus affiliation, Dr. G. Seidova, took part in the Forum, and gave an invited talk. dedicated to Turkish- and Iranian-Language Legacy of Muslims of South Russia.
18 April 2022

New conference in Daghestan

On April 7, 2022, Scientific conference dedicated to ‘Russia – Ukraine: Choice of Value Orientations’ was conducted in the city of Makhachkala, Daghestan Republic, under the auspices of Ministry of National Politics and Religious Issues of Daghestan. The head of the Daghestan affiliation of our UNESCO chair, Dr. G.Seidova, and two of our professors, Dr. M.Bilalov, and Dr. A.Buttayeva, took part in the conference, giving invited plenary talks dedicated to various aspects of the main topic of the conference.

Photo: G. Seidova
6 April 2022

Meeting of Coordination Committee of UNESCO Chairs in Russian Federation

On April 6, 2022, a meeting of the Coordination Committee of UNESCO Chairs in the Russian Federation was held. The meeting was dedicated primarily to the assessment and evaluation of applications for opening new UNESCO chairs in Russia. The applications were presented by Russian Technological University, G. Plekhanov Russian Economic University, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Kursk State Medical University, Tomsk State University, and Khanty-Mansiisk State University. A representative of our Chair took active part in the debates which were quite lively and constructive.

Photo by D.Spivak
18 March 2022

Conference ‘Digital Transformation of Education: Present-Day Realities’

On Thursday, 17, our Chair took part in a conference ‘Digital Transformation of Education: Present-Day Realities’, organized by Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the City of St.Petersburg, under the auspices of National Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, in the framework of St.Petersburg International Educational Forum. Our Chair, D.Spivak, gave an invited plenary talk on ‘Digitization in Strategy of UNESCO’, which was mostly dedicated to new normative documents, approved at the 41^st session of UNESCO in November, 2021.

Program of the meeting (in Russian)

Photo by D.Spivak
11 February 2022

Round Table on Scientific and Social Projects focused upon Protection of Cultural Heritage

On February 9, 2022, Round Table on Scientific and Social Projects focused upon Protection of Cultural Heritage was conducted, under the auspices of Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, Coordination Committee of UNESCO Chairs of the Russian Federation, and Committee of the City of St.Petersburg for State Control and Protection of Historical and Cultural Objects. About 100 experts from the leading Russian universities, as well as scientific research centers, from all over the country, took part in the meeting. Our UNESCO chair served as a co-organizer of the event, and provided two plenary talks. The first one, given by our Chair, D.Spivak, was dedicated to Actual Directions in Preservation and Revitalization of Cultural Heritage, especially in context of intercultural dialogue. Another one, given by our Scientific Secretary, M.Stepanov, considered Preservation and Re-vitalization of Cultural Heritage in Digital Age. Both reporters took into account the main standard-setting UNESCO documents, ranging from six Conventions on culture, to the materials of the recent 41^st Session of UNESCO General Conference. Best practices, both monitored and conducted by our Chair, were also regarded.

Appendix: Program (in Russian)
20 January 2022

New Book on Peacebuilding

Newly appointed professor of our Chair, Dr.Laura Yerekesheva, has just published a comprehensive research review, entitled ‘Youth of Central Asia: Challenges for Peacebuilding‘. The book is focused upon basic trends, institutional aspects, and challenges, which are currently actual for young people in four Central Asian countries. i.e. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The review was prepared under the auspices of UNESCO Cluster Office in Almaty, namely, its Sector for Social and Human Sciences, as part of implementation of International Decade for the Rapprochement of Cultures (2013–2022). It has been published by UNESCO, and may be attained at its official site.
19 January 2022

New Film on Interfaith Dialogue

Head of affiliation of our UNESCO chair in the Northern Caucasus, Dr. G.Seidova, has served as the Scientific Consultant of a 45-minute documentary, entitled ‘Derbent: Gateway to Faith’, which has just been released. The film, which was created under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, is dedicated to traditions of interfaith dialogue and peaceful coexistence, which have existed for centuries in the city of Derbent, Southern Daghestan. Both Shiism and Sunism, as well as Orthodox Christianity, Judaism, and, retrospectively, Zoroastrianism are represented.