Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s greetings to participants in the Diplomatic Club’s meeting

I would like to extend my warmest welcome to everyone participating in the meeting of the Diplomatic Club under the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Diplomatic Club has established itself as an important venue for constructive dialogue between the diplomatic corps, the business and academic communities, members of the public, and cultural figures. It is also a venue for discussing a broad range of issues. The open and engaged exchange of views that takes place here, against the backdrop of Russia’s rich cultural heritage, makes it possible to hear each other better and improves the atmosphere of trust and mutual understanding between our countries.

Your evening event today is dedicated to diplomats who also write poetry. The diplomatic profession tends to favour people who are reserved and deliberate in assessments and judgments, and poets are able to express their civic stance, innermost thoughts and emotions in a clear and striking way. The work of a diplomat is somewhat like the work of a writer. As is common knowledge, our main tool is the word, which we use to defend our country’s interests.

It is not given us to trace

The further fate of words we utter,

Perhaps compassion that we feel

Is given us like a saving grace…

Written almost 150 years ago, in 1869, these well-known lines by the great Russian poet and diplomat Fyodor Tyutchev are an example of harmony of form and content: a severe elegance is combined here with a deep worldview. Along with many other brilliant Russian men of letters, Tyutchev helped make Russian poetry a worldwide phenomenon.

For centuries, poetry has been a source of inspiration and insight. It has played an important part in understanding our place in the world and contributed to maintaining cultural and civilizational diversity. Many generations have sought answers to the intransient questions of life, both private and public, in the immortal works of Dante, Shakespeare, Goethe, Pushkin, and others.

The Ministry on Smolenskaya Square cherishes the poetic tradition. A number of its employees, myself included, try their hand at writing.

I wish you a pleasant evening, unforgettable memories and all the best.

SERGEY LAVROV

March 30, 2017