Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s greetings to the participants and guests of the 6th Global Forum of Young Diplomats

I cordially welcome the organisers, participants and guests of the 6th Global Forum of Young Diplomats.

Your diplomatic forum has acquired wonderful traditions in recent years. Based on a “horizontal diplomacy” approach, it provides a fine opportunity for young specialists employed by foreign policy services, representatives of government agencies, and experts to hold an informal exchange of views on key international issues. This pooling of intellectual effort aimed at expanding the space of mutual understanding is particularly valuable in the current turbulent geopolitical situation. Let me note that Sochi will host the World Youth Festival in March 2024, which will become yet another major event on the unifying agenda of global importance.

I cannot but stress the topicality of your forum’s theme, Diplomacy in a New Multipolar World. The emergence of a polycentric world order is a lengthy process related primarily to the democratisation of interstate relations which should be based on the universally recognised norms of international law and take into account the civilisational diversity of the world.    

Russia consistently advocates the position that every country must have a say in global decision-making. Russian diplomacy is open to close interaction with those, who, like us, share the values of equality, mutual respect, and non-interference in internal affairs of others.

I hope that your forum, too, will make a contribution of its own to finding answers to the critical questions of this day and age. I wish everyone productive discussions.

SERGEY LAVROV