🗓 On September 26, the 12th St Petersburg International United Cultures Forum concluded at the State Hermitage Museum. The Forum became a major event dedicated to promoting intercultural dialogue and strengthening understanding between countries and peoples, while preserving their linguistic, cultural and spiritual identities. The Forum brought together 4,500 participants, including 45 official delegations, with representatives from 73 countries. Delegations from more than 10 countries were led by their Ministers of Culture. 💬 The Forum’s central event was an address by President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Culture can build bridges between people. It is a vital and irreplaceable means of communication and dialogue where political and economic ties have been frozen or brought to a halt by disagreements, sanctions and restrictions. Russia has historically developed as a crossroads of peoples, languages and traditions. For us, unity means solidarity built on nurturing the distinct identity and development of every people and ethnic group. Culture plays a key role in this process, just as it does in our complex world, with its conflicts, profound technological and social transformations, and competition between countries. 👉 Read the full transcript of President Putin’s address to the Forum The Forum featured 84 events across ten thematic tracks, covering museums, theatre, music, film, cultural sovereignty, education, artificial intelligence and other subjects. ✍️ Participants signed 33 agreements to develop cooperation in culture, museums, theatre, education and the preservation of cultural heritage. Plans were set in motion to develop a concept for theatre development through 2035 and expand cooperation with professional associations in Vietnam, Arab countries and Iran. Russia also signed a number of bilateral documents with friendly countries. 💬 Russia’s Minister of Culture Olga Lyubimova: Once again, our Forum has confirmed its standing as a respected platform for open and free dialogue, bringing together representatives of different countries, peoples and cultures around a common goal: identifying the challenges facing world culture and finding ways to address them. #UnitedCulturesForum