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The message reads, in part:

“Your forum is traditionally held ahead of National Unity Day, a wonderful holiday– and is always an impressive and memorable event.

Today, the ancient city of Tver is welcoming the Assembly participants, including prominent scientists, cultural figures, artists and journalists from around the world.

I consider the theme of the current Assembly, Universality of Russian Culture, to be relevant and essential. It opens a discussion in the widest possible format on such important issues as the Russian culture’s mission in the world, the importance of promoting and popularising the Russian language, which, apart from being a means of communication, is also a contributor to the preservation of ethnic and cultural identity.

In this regard, I would like to stress the great consolidating role of the Russkiy Mir Foundation and its multipronged activities on high-profile projects in education, awareness raising, charity, and support of our compatriots abroad.

I am confident that the Assembly will run in a creative key, and will contribute to stepping up international cooperation and personal contacts.”

The Russian World Assembly is an international forum held annually by the Russkiy Mir Foundation in different Russian cities ahead of National Unity Day.

This year the Assembly is hosted by Tver, bringing together around 600 participants from 69 countries of the world. The forum’s theme is Universality of Russian Culture.

The Russkiy Mir Foundation was established by a Presidential Executive Order in 2007. It promotes the Russian language and culture and supports programmes for the learning, preservation and development of the Russian language. In the ten years of its existence, the Foundation has rendered support to about 3,000 projects in over 100 countries.