A panel discussion titled "Geography of Culture. International Projects" was held at the Forum. Speakers discussed initiatives aimed at advancing dialogue between countries in the field of culture and shared experience from joint projects.
The discussion took place in the Lecture Hall of the Hermitage’s General Staff Building as part of the regional program. The meeting was moderated by Aleksandr Malich, Director of the National Drama Theatre of Russia (the Alexandrinsky Theatre).
Participants included Mikhail Shvydkoy, Special Presidential Envoy of the Russian Federation for International Cultural Cooperation; Andrey Ermak, Minister for Culture and Tourism of the Kaliningrad Region; Amina Shafikova, Minister of Culture of the Republic of Bashkortostan; Natalya Metelitsa, Director of the St. Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music; and Andrian Fadeev, Artistic Director and Director of the St. Petersburg State Academic Leonid Yakobson Ballet Theatre and Artistic Director of the ballet company of the State Academic Mariinsky Theatre , Fabio Mastrangelo, Artistic Director of the F. I. Shalyapin Music Theatre.
During the discussion, experts agreed that culture is an absolutely international concept that exists above and beyond nationality. Andrey Ermak emphasized that the Russian stage has always seen an incredibly rich interplay of national cultures, and that continues today.
Representatives from many countries serve Russian art here: Koreans, Americans, Italians, French, Poles, Hungarians, not to mention the many peoples of Russia. Graduates of the best European ballet schools come to study with us. These are very talented young people who had invitations from London and from American Ballet Theatre. And despite the fact that there is an information war against us in the places where they grew up, they still chose the Mariinsky Theatre and St. Petersburg However much the West may try to prevent this exchange, Tchaikovsky is heard across every meridian and parallel," Ermak noted.
Fabio Mastrangelo shared his view on the current state of international cultural exchange, stressing that despite possible challenges, cultural ties remain strong: "No one is saying that everything has changed for the worse. On the contrary, we have hope, and we continue to carry out major projects." Very soon the second Shalyapin Competition will start in St. Petersburg with 36 young singers, 10 of whom are foreigners from Mongolia, Ecuador, Uzbekistan and China And of course, it is not only that they come to us. We also go to them. Recently we performed at a prestigious event in Dubai where we gave two concerts in a row. You see, this is a completely problem-free friendship. It cannot be that Europe wants to sever ties with us, because I see that people who live there and are not engaged in politics have no problem communicating with us, and I see that we have no problem communicating with them."
In closing, Mikhail Shvydkoy highlighted the importance of an upcoming event for international cultural exchange, the revival of Intervision in Moscow. Twenty-three countries will take part, including the United States, China and Brazil. "This is a serious signal that there is a desire to cooperate in popular music as well. In that sense our cooperation is a living process, and there is no need at all to despair. If you can turn a single set piece into scenery for five productions, we are doing fine," Shvydkoy stressed.