Chairperson of the Coordination Council of Russian Compatriots in South Ossetia Natalia Zhuykova and her Вeputy Svetlana Kotaeva took part in the XI Regional Conference of Russian Compatriots of the Near Abroad Countries "Towards the Congress" in Tajikistan, the organization's website reports.
"Participants from South Ossetia made presentations in the section "Children and Youth - the Future of the Russian Community Abroad". The event was attended by leaders and members of the World, Regional and Country Coordination Councils of Russian Compatriots, as well as activists and experts from Abkhazia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Ukraine," the press service has noted.
The forum was attended by representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry and Russian missions abroad in Tajikistan, the Russian Orthodox Church, the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) and the government of the Altai Territory.
In his welcoming speech, Deputy Chairman of the Government Commission on Compatriots Abroad, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Mikhail Galuzin has noted the significant contribution that compatriots living in neighboring countries have been making to the development and strengthening of friendly ties between Russia and the states of the region, emphasized the importance of ensuring the continuity of generations and patriotic education of young people in the protection of historical truth, preserving the memory of the heroic past of our peoples.
Welcome addresses were also sent by the heads of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), the Fund for the Support and Protection of the Rights of Compatriots Living Abroad, and the Committee on External Relations of St. Petersburg.
During the meeting, a rich, lively discussion took place on current issues of the activities of Russian Diaspora associations, preparations for the VIII World Congress of Compatriots (Moscow, October 30-31). Plans for future events were also discussed.
The delegates expressed their readiness to continue defending traditional spiritual and moral foundations, promote the achievements of domestic education and science, and facilitate the implementation of the cultural and humanitarian agenda, including in the context of the Year of the Family in Russia.
The role of the Russian Orthodox Church and other official religious confessions of Russia in strengthening the unity of the Russian-speaking community abroad was also emphasized.
Following the forum, a statement and a resolution were adopted.
The conference was held in a friendly and businesslike atmosphere of cohesion and mutual understanding.
