Official website of the President of Russia

The Russian Federation regards UNESCO as one of the UN’s fundamental institutions which has a unique mandate for coordinating intellectual activities around the world, and is dedicated to defending humanity’s highest values. In this capacity the Organisation is called upon to play a key role in strengthening peace and security via cooperation in education, science, culture, and information.

International security today cannot only be ensured through the creation of a multi-polar world, continued disarmament and more energetic steps to overcome an increasingly growing development gap between individual groups of countries. The preservation of cultural and language diversity, pursuit of an inter-ethnic and inter-faith dialogue, and cooperative efforts to ensure humankind’s survival in the face of deepening economic, environmental and socio-cultural problems are of exceptional importance.

UNESCO can and must help the human race to meet 21st-century challenges. Russia is prepared to contribute to this effort and take part in drafting relevant international recommendations and legal instruments.

The close partner relations that traditionally link Russia and UNESCO have always been productive and mutually beneficial. Tapping into the international cooperation channels provided by UNESCO offers Russia a valuable chance to study world experience and get help in reforming its social affairs.

In turn, UNESCO has always been able to draw support from Russia’s universally recognised scientific, educational and cultural potential, which is open to cooperation.

The successful completion of joint projects concerned with such major centres of national and world culture as the Bolshoi Theatre, the Russian National Library and the State Hermitage Museum, will no doubt give a fresh impulse to our cooperation with UNESCO.

UNESCO’s effectiveness depends on the extent to which it is universal, on the readiness of its member-countries to make the necessary contribution to the Organisation’s work, and on the quality of the management of its planned activities by its governing bodies. Russia welcomes the steps being taken by Secretary-General Koichiro Matsuura to improve these activities and will help reform UNESCO.