'Cultural Bridge' Between Russia and France

    
     (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/776922/Rossotrudichestvo.jpg )

Prominent cultural and academic luminaries of the two countries, heads of diplomatic missions, including Eleonora Mitrofanova, Head of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Director-General, Alexey Meshkov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia in France, Hélène Carrère d'Encausse, Perpetual Secretary of the Académie française, Dmitry Bak, Director of the V. I. Dal State Museum of the History of Russian Literature, Daniel Rondeau, writer, publisher and journalist, former Permanent Representative of France to UNESCO, as well as representatives of the A.S. Pushkin State Institute of Russian Language, National Research University - Higher School of Economics, the Russian University of Theatre Arts and other cultural and educational centres attended the Forum.

The honorary guest of the Forum was world-renowned singer Mireille Mathieu, who expressed her support for projects involving Russian-French cooperation and shared her warm attitude to Russia: "I look at Russia with love. It is important to look with love and be able to convey it," she said. Earlier Ms. Mathieu received the title of 'Honorary Professor in the Field of Culture' in Russia.

As noted by the head of Rossotrudnichestvo Eleonora Mitrofanova, in the course of history, Russia and France have always been connected by rather strong cultural ties, regardless of the political situation. Currently, French youth demonstrate a growing interest in Russia.

"Intercultural and civil dialogue between our countries remains at a high level. In France, we see a real interest among the younger generation in Russia, our history and culture. Moreover, it has been growing in recent years, despite a background characterized by a significant amount of negativity, which is artificially created by certain countries and the media," the Rossotrudnichestvo head, Mrs. Mitrofanova, clarified.

She further explained that Rossotrudnichestvo plans to enhance its social media engagement and launch various Internet projects in a move to spur more interaction with the younger generation. One of these cultural projects between Russia and France, focused on young people and other members of society, is the 'Moscow-Paris' Online Film Festival, which will be held in early 2019. The project was presented to the attendees of the Forum.

The event was organized by Rossotrudnichestvo with the participation of the Russian-French Civil Societies Forum 'Trianon Dialogue', established at the initiative of the heads of both states. The Forum was held within the framework of the Year of Russian Language and Literature in France and the Year of French Language and Literature in Russia.

2018 became the Bilateral Year of Russian and French Languages and Literature. For the first time, the bilateral year covers not only literature that exists in Russia and France respectively, but also the authors who write in Russian and French in other countries around the world.

The 'Trianon Dialogue' between Russia and France started in December 2017. Its main mission is to deepen the dialogue between the civil societies in Russia and France and strengthen humanitarian ties through interaction between thought-leaders, non-profit organisations and entrepreneurs.