“Africa is closer than you think”: at the Public Support Headquarters of the Samara Region they introduced you to the customs and culture of the entire continent

April 24 is International Day of Multilateral Diplomacy. In Samara, students, volunteers and representatives of the business community celebrated this date together with the project “Cultural Issue. Getting to know Africa”

Samara, together with other Russian regions, joined the teleconference, which was held by the President of the Universe of Good Foundation, Ambassador of Peace Evgeny Mikhalchenko and the Ambassador of Russian Education and Science, the first president of the Association of Foreign Students in Russia Aniset Kochofa Gabriel. In touch – Arkhangelsk, Tver, Voronezh, and more than 50 regions of Russia. In the studios of the Public Support Headquarters there are students and social activists, volunteers and businessmen, teachers and cultural figures, including young professionals and students from Africa.

Our national literary treasure, the poetry of Alexander Pushkin, might not have happened if the great African ancestor of the great poet Abram Hannibal had not appeared in Russia, recalled Evgeny Mikhalchenko.

By the way, Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin is considered “their” poet not only in Russia, but also in Africa, in the country of Ethiopia. It was from there that his great-grandfather was from, participants in the teleconference learned.

“We are similar, we strive to develop mutually beneficial relations in various fields, such as trade, economics, education, culture. We are interested in specialized education, cultural exchange, tourism,” noted Anisef Gabriel, opening the teleconference.

Africa is closer than you think, participants in the teleconference from Samara are sure. Here, at the United Russia Public Support Headquarters, participants of the Samara delegation of the fifth International Municipal Forum of the BRICS+ countries, which was held in November 2023 in St. Petersburg, Anastasia Kvashina and Alexander Zavertkin, joined the teleconference.

“More than 7,000 people took part in the forum, including delegates from more than 200 cities in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. The BRICS+ International Municipal Forum is primarily aimed at cooperation and development prospects for individual municipalities. By the way, within the framework of the BRICS+ forum, representatives of educational organizations from Congo and Cameroon visited universities in St. Petersburg and agreed on cooperation in the field of education and science. We met representatives of Algeria, Angola, Nigeria, Congo, and the Central African Republic. As part of our interaction with Africa, we are still getting closer. And I think that we should know each other’s culture, understand each other and work for the good of our world, for the good of our society,” said a participant of the BRICS+ IFF, director of development and interaction with regions of the Institute for Regional and Municipal Development. Anastasia Kvashina.

Alexander Zavertkin, head of the commission for foreign economic activity of the Samara regional branch of OPORA RUSSIA, member of the public council of the United Russia party project “Entrepreneurship,” spoke about establishing trade and cultural relations with African countries at the regional level.

“For Russia, and in particular for the Samara region, the development of diplomatic and foreign economic relations with Africa is a strategic priority, as we strive to expand the horizons of cooperation. More than 600 large and medium-sized industrial enterprises successfully operate in our region. Their products are in demand in the markets of the African continent. We coordinate the activities of export-oriented companies, helping them enter African markets and establish long-term partnerships. This contributes not only to the economic growth of our region, but also to the strengthening of international understanding and peace,” said Alexander.

Let us recall that April 24 marks the International Day of Multilateral Diplomacy for Peace, which aims to emphasize the importance of diplomatic efforts in establishing friendly relations and stability, strengthening multilateral cooperation and dialogue between our countries and regions. At the United Russia Public Support Headquarters throughout the country, they decided to mark this date with a teleconference as part of the project “Cultural Issue: Getting to Know Africa,” reports the press service of the Samara regional branch of the UNITED RUSSIA Party.

Photo: press service of the Samara regional branch of the UNITED RUSSIA Party