Round-table conference in Luxemburg on cooperation between Russian and other ethnic diasporas in European Union

A round-table conference on Cooperation between the Russian and Other Ethnic Diasporas in the European Union took place on 16-18 May 2008 in Luxemburg.

Russians from 20 EU countries were given a unique opportunity for discussing urgent problems of preserving their cultural, religious and linguistic identity with people representing the Chinese, Italian, Polish, Portugese, Turkish, Armenian and Roma diasporas, the Russian World foundation press service has reported. The leaders of these diasporas, human rights activists, Luxemburg governmental officials and representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church appreciated the fact that it was the Russian diaspora in the European Union and the Russian World foundation who initiated this unique platform for dialogue.

The round table was opened by the Russian World foundation director Vyacheslav Nikonov, who pointed to the major characteristics of the ‘Russian world’ as a poly-ethnic and multi-confessional civilizational community and stressed the need for various diasporas and ethnic minorities to unite their efforts on the basis of network cooperation.

Alexey Gromyko, director of the European programs of the Russian World foundation led a full-scale presentation of the foundation. He spoke of the prospects for opening Russian centers in European universities and the foundation’s policy of grants. Among the speakers at the round table, which has already been dubbed as ‘Forum of Diasporas’, was Tatyana Zhdanok, the only Russian deputy in the European Parliament. The European Russian Alliance, of which she is leader, was the initiator and organizer of this event.

Among the speakers were also Natalia Narochinskaya, member of the Russian World patrons board; A. Chepurin, director of the Russian Foreign Ministry department for work with compatriots; Archbishop Longin of Klin, representative of the Russian Orthodox Church in Germany; and Archpriest Anthony Ilyin, representative of the Russian World foundation in Europe.

The round table has become the first significant event to be held in partnership with the Russian World foundation, the European Russian Alliance and the Governmental Commission for Compatriots Abroad. Its organizers and participants expressed hope that it would be held annually and make a contribution to the consolidation of the ‘Russian world’ in Europe. It will also help people to acquire practical skills of human rights advocacy and promote the interests of the Russian-speaking community in constructive and creative cooperation with other diasporas.

DECR Communication Service