Official website of the President of Russia

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In his speech, Sergei Naryshkin said that over the past twenty years “there were a number of major events that had a profound impact on the historical fate of not only Russia but all countries of the so-called post-Soviet space.”

The Presidential Chief of Staff expressed the hope that in their discussions the conference participants “will focus not only on event-centred chronicling of the contemporary Russian history, but also on a multidimensional analysis of large-scale social transformations.”

“Historical assessments have major importance for the present day. The ability of the state to respond adequately to external challenges, to constantly evolve, advance and anticipate external change is crucial. Therefore, any issues related to the experience of large-scale socioeconomic transformations in such a huge country as the Soviet Union was and as Russia is today, remain key not only on the academic agenda, but also for the purposes of public governance,” Sergei Naryshkin said.

Commenting on the transformation process in Russia’s political structure, the Presidential Chief of Staff pointed out that, despite the numerous challenges involved in this process, now “we can establish an unquestionable, an incontrovertible fact: the new democratic Russia exists, it has been created.”

“The opinion of the conference participants will be useful not only for distinguished experts but especially for young researchers and students. To become the leaders of tomorrow, young people must learn to think historically and critically. It is not enough for young people to know the facts; they must truly understand the past and learn its lessons,” Sergei Naryshkin concluded.