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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, colleagues.

The agenda of today’s meeting of the Security Council focuses on improving the state policy of protecting traditional Russian spiritual and moral values.

It is an extremely important current matter that is directly related to ensuring the sovereignty and national interests of Russia, strengthening our security, social harmony and stability, addressing the vital issues of saving the number of population and demographic development, bringing up the younger generation, and ensuring the continuity of our development as a state, nation and society.

Traditional values are the moral guidelines that our forefathers have laid down over the centuries. They are the basis of our civilisation and identity, the pillar of life for individuals and families. They mould our culture, our sovereign world outlook, which is resistant to attempts to impose foreign will on us.

Our fundamental values include the unity of the people of Russia, commitment to truth and justice, mercy and humanism, a strong family and love for our children, mutual assistance and a striving not only for personal well-being but also for the success of our country as a whole, as well as patriotism and devotion to our Motherland, of course.

These values filled our forefathers with creative energy and inspired them towards great achievements. Today, they are the basis and the guideline for the development of our systems of education and upbringing, so that our children and teenagers clearly understand that being a citizen means knowing and respecting the history of our country, remaining true to our roots, working for the benefit of your families, home towns and the Fatherland, and assuming responsibility for its future. Of course, the younger generations must grown up to be strong, broadly educated, open to creation, globally competitive in knowledge and competencies, and willing to offer their original ideas and solutions rather than imitate others.

You and I often meet with schoolchildren, students, young scientists, workers, engineers, the young people who have achieved a great deal in arts, business and creative professions. I am confident that our young people understand that freedom and responsibility go together, that they can contribute to the socioeconomic, scientific and cultural potential of our country, want to move forward and succeed, and see their future connected with the future of Russia.

At the same time, we see that in the modern world, the domain of values and meanings has become a site of fierce competition. There is fierce competition, there is an aggressive struggle for influence on people’s minds: many traditional values have been declared obsolete and archaic, while neo-liberal – so-called neo-liberal, but in fact, totalitarian – models are being promoted. Moreover, certain Western countries are not only relentlessly imposing those models at home, but are vigorously trying to export them, to impose them outside their own countries. It is clear why they are doing this – because by taking away the values that people turned to for support, by depriving nations of their sovereignty, it is easier to subordinate them, to turn them into vassals.

Therefore, it is important to counter any attempts to impose on our citizens, especially young people, attitudes that can shatter our values. It is necessary to respond harshly to new challenges that provoke inter-ethnic and inter-religious conflicts. At the same time, we must realise that imposing selective bans or fencing ourselves off from the global information landscape, from the global information system is ineffective in the modern world.

We need to consistently and vigorously promote our own values, develop our own humanitarian and cultural meanings that are in demand both in Russia and in the world. Russia’s approach has been widely declared – we stand for respect for the identity of countries and peoples, for their customs and cultures. In this regard, we have numerous supporters all over the world, who share or respect our beliefs. It is important to coordinate our efforts with our partners in BRICS, the CSTO, the CIS and other countries that share our approaches.

Undeniably, we need to remember the lessons of history. We need to remember about previous internal turmoil and upheavals, most of which had been fuelled and incited from the outside. Whoever sought to weaken Russia, tried to provoke a rift between ethnic groups and value systems. It is important for us to preserve and strengthen the cohesion of society, to support the respective initiatives proposed by citizens, or by public, religious and volunteer associations.

I would like to remind you that our fundamental values and principles are enshrined in the Constitution and strategic planning documents, including the Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values.

Building on this document, a corresponding Plan of Measures has been implemented since July 1 of last year. It encompasses both the cultural sphere and many other areas. All our regions, ministries, agencies, scientific and cultural institutions, and all levels of education are involved in its implementation.

In this regard, I would like to note that the tutorial component has been systematically reintroduced into Russian schools, and this approach is important for children. It is supported by both parents and teachers, who understand that upbringing and education are inseparable – it is together that they shape a well-rounded individual.

Thus, a significant place in the educational process has been taken by the nationwide weekly lesson, Talking about What’s Important. This format is constantly evolving, becoming more engaging, meaningful, and in demand. It features truly remarkable individuals whose achievements, hard work, courage, and heroic deeds serve as examples for young people. These include leaders in their professions, Heroes of Russia, participants in the special military operation, and, of course, children themselves.

Public organisations are actively joining efforts aimed at enlightening and shaping younger generations. I would particularly like to highlight the Movement of the First and the Youth Army. They unite millions of children and implement numerous extracurricular educational programmes based on traditional values.

Today, let us discuss how the Plan of Measures for the implementation of the Fundamentals of State Policy for the Preservation and Strengthening of Traditional Values is being carried out overall, which tasks have been accomplished, and which issues remain unresolved.

It is clear that we must continue building a system-wide state policy for the long-term preservation and protection of traditional values. To this end, relevant sections and sets of measures should be included in the strategic planning documents currently under development.

Furthermore, we must improve legislative and regulatory instruments aimed at safeguarding traditional values.

On May 9, we marked the 80^th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Fighting for freedom, our people demonstrated an inspiring example of unity and patriotism. Preserving the memory of the courage and deeds of the victorious generation holds immense moral, social, and national significance for us and for our future. I reiterate: we must continue to firmly uphold the historical truth about the events of World War II and the decisive role our people played in defeating Nazism, in any and all circumstances. Systematic efforts in historical education and combating the falsification of history must continue. I consider this extremely important.

Let us proceed to the reports. The floor is given to Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova. Ms Golikova, please proceed.

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