Article by State Secretary and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Grigory Karasin “Returning to the Idea of Soft Power” published in Rossiyskaya Gazeta on June 14, 2016
It’s not unusual for the media to report on the humanitarian component of Russia’s foreign policy, and often in a critical light.
Central Asia is one of the most important regions for us. Central Asian states are not just our neighbours but strategic partners and long-time friends. I’d like to cite some statistics that speak for themselves.
Over 75,000 students from the member countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, including more than 55,000 students from Central Asia, studied in Russia in 2015-2016. Their education is paid for by the Russian budget for the most part – Russia allocates about $100 million every year for this purpose. At the same time we realise that competition is high and we are taking measures to get young Central Asians interested in studying in Russia. Full-fledged affiliates of the following Russian universities operate in Central Asian states: Lomonosov Moscow State University (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan); Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan); MPEI National Research University and MISIS National University of Science and Technology (Tajikistan); Gubkin State University of Oil and Gas (Uzbekistan), Moscow Aviation Institute (National Research University), St Petersburg Humanitarian University and Chelyabinsk State University (Kazakhstan). In Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan students receive higher education in partnership Slavic universities. The so-called “soft power” that largely relies on civil society and government support is playing a special, unique role in promoting active relations with the regions.
Russia is capable of creating a high quality, competitive “humanitarian product for export”. This is demonstrated by Russian education, which is still in high demand in Central Asia and outperforms many countries in terms of value for money. As a rule, graduates of our universities find jobs at home without a problem.
In 2015 Russia carried out a package of measures to promote its cultural achievements, including interesting projects that were part of the celebrations of the 70th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and 175th birth anniversary of Peter Tchaikovsky.
CIS cultural cooperation has a promising future as well. The most notable example here is the Cultural Capitals of the Commonwealth programme. In different years this role was played by Mary, Alma Ata, Kulyab and Dashoguz. Figures from the arts and sciences in the CIS countries hold major forums (the 10th anniversary forum took place on October 22-23, 2015 in Astana). The Intergovernmental Foundation for Educational, Scientific and Cultural Cooperation (IFESCCO) is doing a lot for cultural cooperation. Since its establishment in 2006, mostly with voluntary donations from Russia, it has carried out over 540 joint projects, including some in Central Asia. I’d also like to mention the activities of the Mir (Peace) interstate radio and television company that was set up as part of the agreements between the CIS founding members. It includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Practical training for the fund’s top management and representative offices is well established.
Joint media projects – exhibitions, forums and other events – generate a lot of interest. Kazakhstan’s national Mir affiliate held a competition ahead of the 55th anniversary of the first manned space flight and later on hosted an exhibition of children’s drawings “Children Paint Outer Space.” It also organised live broadcasts and teleconferences from the CIS republics during the anniversary celebrations of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Its television company produced a second collection of memoirs “Children of War: The People’s Memory” in May 2015 towards the 70th anniversary of Victory.
Young people from Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan launched the international vigil of remembrance “There are millions of Panfilov guardsmen among us” ahead of the 75th anniversary of the start of the Great Patriotic War. It will culminate in a grand ceremony in November in the village of Dubosekovo near Moscow, where General Panfilov’s division went down in history. The division was formed in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in the summer of 1941.
A monument was unveiled to Akmatshah Tyumenbayev in the village of Poddorye in the Novgorod Region. During the defence of Leningrad, he followed the heroic example of Alexander Matrosov and closed a German pillbox with his body.
Russia is rendering humanitarian support to some Central Asian states, especially Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. In 2008-2015 it amounted to $6.7 billion. The bulk of these funds were awarded directly.
As for multilateral channels, Moscow contributed $55 million to the UN World Food Programme (WFP) alone in 2013-2015. Of this, $33 million were spent on the purchase and delivery of Russian food (wheat flour and peas) and $22 million on the development of sustainable school meals. In 2016 Russia is planning to contribute $10 million worth of food aid under the WFP.
Russian regions are actively launching educational programmes, such as professional development courses for Russian language and literature teachers from Central Asian republics. Support of Russian language studies abroad remains a major objective.
Russia places priority on supporting initiatives by young people from the Russian Diaspora and on getting them involved in cultural, educational and sport events in this country. Young people from Central Asia did well at the Second World Games of Young Compatriots in Sochi. Young representatives of the Russian Diaspora from Central Asian countries have been invited to attend the Seventh Tatar Youth Forum in Kazan. Winners of competitions on Russian history and culture will visit Moscow as part of Hello Russia educational trips to historical places. Preparations for the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students in 2017 are currently in full swing. Foreign offices of Rossotrudnichestvo (Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation) in Central Asian states are actively involved in them.
This is just a brief summary of everything that is being done. I think it’s important to get the information out there.
