On September 16, Samara University was visited by Farit Mukhametshin, Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs; Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Center in Moscow; and Aleksey Borisov, Vice President of the World Federation of United Nations Associations and Head of the UNESCO Chair on Human Rights and Democracy at MGIMO University.
During the visit, they toured the Aviation and Space Museum, met with students and faculty members, discussed issues related to modern realities of international cooperation, and officially opened the UN Hall.
In 2020, with the support of Dmitry Azarov, Governor of the Samara Region, at the initiative of Farit Mukhametshin and Viktor Soifer, President of Samara University, the Regional Centre for the Development of Public Diplomacy and International Relations, The Primakov Centre was established at the university.
The UN Hall has now become an additional part of this Center’s infrastructure.
“Samara University serves as a hub for training highly qualified personnel for the economy of the region and the country.
Opening a space dedicated to the activities of the United Nations will expand students’ understanding of international cooperation and the UN’s work.
This well-equipped venue can host lectures, meetings, and conferences with experts from anywhere in the world,” noted Farit Mukhametshin.
With the senator’s support, Samara University annually implements the educational project “Russian Diplomacy Week.”
Over several days, students engage with representatives of the professional diplomatic community on pressing issues of foreign policy. The best international relations students have the opportunity to undertake internships in the Federation Council and federal government bodies.
The Department of External Relations of the Samara Region Governor’s Office actively participates in the Primakov Centre’s activities: meetings with students, regional competitions, and internships are organized.
The best analytical works on the development of the Samara Region’s foreign relations are selected, and their authors gain internships at the department, seeing firsthand how the regional “Ministry of Foreign Affairs” operates.
Guests of the Primakov Centre have included foreign ambassadors; in online format, students have interacted with Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation.
According to Vladimir Kuznetsov, Director of the UN Information Center, the creation of the UN Hall opens new opportunities for students:
“Samara Region is an important region. It is visible on the UN map because it carries out significant work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Some time ago, the results of this work were successfully presented at the UN venue.
Opening the UN Hall gives a new support point here, in Samara Region, at Samara University.
We hope the university will also host educational programs dedicated to various areas of UN activities,”he emphasized.
At the UN Hall, visitors gain access to UN informational resources, the Dag Hammarskjöld Library, and can join virtual tours of the UN’s central institutions.
During their conversation with students, the honored guests addressed many current issues related to the international situation.
Students asked about the UN’s success in reducing the gap between developed and developing countries, the current state of relations between Russia and Kazakhstan, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and the achievements of the Samara Region in implementing Sustainable Development Goals. They also inquired about the importance of learning foreign languages.
Another key topic was the influence of public diplomacy on the development of international relations. Aleksey Borisov explained in detail: “Public diplomacy is an integral part of interstate diplomacy, a tool through which a country communicates directly with the public of other nations to promote national interests and achieve foreign policy goals. It is an effective instrument of foreign policy, has gained wide recognition worldwide, and delivers results in the long term. In today’s post-COVID reality and complex geopolitical environment, public diplomacy measures can be particularly effective for strengthening relations with other countries,” said Borisov.
Source: Rambler