On June 25, a presentation of the Tver stage of the International socio-cultural program ‘BRICS People Choosing Life’, “BRICS Youth Day” took place at the Tver State University.
In the year of Russia’s chairmanship of the BRICS in 2024, the second, Russian stage of the International socio-cultural program “BRICS People Choosing Life”, which has been taking place in the BRICS countries since 2022 under the motto “ From the ecology of soul and body to the ecology of the world.”
The program started in the cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, and Pune of the Republic of India in December 2022 and involved more than 2,000 students and businessmen who became participants in the cultural, educational and business tracks of the Indian program.
The Russian stage of the program is dedicated to the 195th anniversary of the birth of Leo Tolstoy, the 75th anniversary of the memory of Mahatma Gandhi, the 150th anniversary of the birth of Nicholas Roerich and the 100th anniversary of the Central Asian expedition of Nicholas, Yuri and Helena Roerich, the 550th anniversary of the memory of Afanasy Nikitin, 70th anniversary of the establishment of trade and economic relations between Russia and India. The organizers are the Regional Public Organizations “BRICS World of Traditions”, Moscow; Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia named after Patrice Lumumba; International Youth Edu-Skills Foundation (IYES Foundation), Noida, India and Smart Mir Services LLC, Moscow.
The first region to participate in the program, after the capital, will be the Tver region.
As part of the project implementation, a meeting was held with the acting rector of Tver State University S.N. Smirnova with the Deputy Minister of Education of the Russian Federation D.E. Gribov and the President of the Regional Public Organization “BRICS. World of Traditions”, head of the program “BRICS People Choosing Life” L.L. Sekacheva. Denis Evgenievich Gribov thanked Tver State University for supporting and hosting such a large-scale and significant event and noted: “The ‘BRICS People Choosing Life’ project is being successfully implemented, and the organizers are holding a number of events to support international cooperation and the correct traditional and moral values of the younger generation. Russian education, both school and higher education, is among the top ten best education in the world. I see a great desire among foreign applicants to enter Russian universities, gain knowledge here and bring it to their country.”
Lyudmila Leonidovna Sekacheva also expressed gratitude to Acting Rector S.N. Smirnov and Vice-Rector for General Affairs E.N. Vasilyeva for her hospitality and also emphasized that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and the embassies of the BRICS countries in Russia with great pleasure supported the holding of the first regional stage of the program in Tver and Tver State University.
As a sign of friendship, S.N. Smirnov presented D.E. Gribov and L.L. Sekacheva memorial signs of the university with the emblem of the School of P.P. Maksimovich and souvenir gifts.
The meeting was also attended by the head of the vocational education department of the Ministry of Education of the Tver Region N.N. Gaidukhina, Associate Professor of the Department of the Institute of Economics, Mathematics and Informatics of the Presidential Academy (RANEPA) M.B. Alborova, Deputy Vice-Rector for International Affairs of RUDN University N.A. Gushchina, representative of the Center for International Cooperation of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation A.N. Subbotina, employee of the IMI MGIMO Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia D.M. Kurbatov, coordinator of the association “Compatriots of India in Russia” Nair Devadatkhan, general partner of the business stage of the Tver program, President of the International Youth Edu-Skills Foundation, General Director of the company “Smart Mir Services” Akil Mohammad.
Next, the guests of honour were waited at the “Boiling Point” of Tver State University. The Russian-Indian delegation was greeted with bread and salt according to the good Russian tradition; the folklore ensemble of Tver State University “Slavyanochka” performed a folk song-greeting to the applause of students from different countries in national costumes.
Before the opening of the program, a press conference was held with the participation of Deputy Minister of Education D.E. Gribov, students of Tver State University, TvSTU, TSMU, RUDN University, and RANEPA. Questions were raised on priority areas of educational policy between Russia and the BRICS countries, international interaction with secondary specialized educational institutions, popularization of the study of the Russian language abroad, and others.
Guests and participants also had the opportunity to get acquainted with the unique exhibition “Great Teachers of the BRICS”, the main part of which was the exhibition “Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi: A Unique Legacy”, illustrating the famous correspondence between the two apologists of non-violence.
As part of the BRICS Youth Day, the university held a round table on “Digital Society: Trends, Opportunities, Risks.” Students discussed various aspects of the digital society from prospects to cyber risks online with scientists and specialists (members of the delegation from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian Academy of Sciences).
A quiz among students on knowledge of the history of BRICS was successfully held. Active participants of the quiz received books about the BRICS countries as a gift from the Russian Foreign Ministry.
At the grand opening of the Tver stage of the “BRICS People Choosing Life” program, honoured guests and speakers spoke. Acting Rector S.N. Smirnov greeted everyone and emphasized that the doors of Tver State University are always open for cooperation and friendship.
Deputy Minister of Education of the Russian Federation D.E. Gribov addressed the organizers and participants of the program: “The youth of the BRICS countries will be at the head of sectors of the economy, politics, healthcare, culture, art and other spheres, and they will need to shape the worldview and attitude of their states towards Russia.”
Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo D.V. spoke today about the importance of public diplomacy. On behalf of the Governor of the Tver region I.M. Rudeni’s welcoming address was read out by Deputy Minister of Education of the Tver Region N.A. Tarasova.
The government telegram was sent by the head of the United Russia faction in the State Duma V.A. Vasiliev.
Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Tver Region A.M. Kalinkin, speaking at the opening, emphasized: “Today’s event will be an important step in the development of relations with India. Our business circles are interested in trade and economic cooperation with Indian partners; our enterprises are interested in supplying food industry products, of which the Tver region is proud. At the same time, our business is, of course, ready and interested in listening to relevant proposals from the Indian side.”
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sherpa of Russia in BRICS S.A. made a video message to the organizers and guests of the event. Ryabkov, Senator of the Russian Federation, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on Science, Education and Culture L.N. Skakovskaya, Trade Representative of Russia in India A.L. Rybas.
At the opening of the Tver stage of the program, the Chairman of the Public Chamber of the Tver Region and director of IPOST Tver State University I.D. also spoke.
Coordinator for International Cooperation of the Regional Public Organization “BRICS. World of Traditions” D.M. Kurbatov spoke about the implementation of projects of the humanitarian and business tracks of the Russian stage of the program, including: “BRICS Youth – for Cyber Security”, “Anthem of BRICS Youth”, “Great BRICS Teachers”, “Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi Center”, “Open your heart to kindness” “, “Great teacher Nicholas Roerich. From Turquoise Katun to the Ganges”, “Boxing ring as a platform for moral self-education of BRICS youth”, “Afanasy Nikitin: trade route to India”, “BRICS trading house AURA”.
The main event of the day was the signing of a Cooperation Agreement between Tver State University and the BRICS ROO. World of Traditions”.
“BRICS Youth Day” continued in the Botanical Garden of the university, where the organizers and participants of the program planted an apple tree – Leo Tolstoy’s favourite tree – and launched white doves into the sky as a sign of friendship among the youth of the BRICS countries.
The event ended with a visit to the Turginovo Regional Education Center.