Guests and attendees at the press conference on "The Russian Heart" Cultural and Art Festival in Beijing on May 20, 2024 Photo: Courtesy of the Russian Culture Center in Beijing

 

"The Russian Heart" Cultural and Art Festival is set to be held at the Beijing Exhibition Center in Beijing from June 12 to 15, according to a press conference held on Monday. The event organizers have invited representatives from the public and commercial sectors, and creative teams from Russia to bring various cultural programs to the Chinese public.

The year 2024 marks the 75th anniversary of China-Russia diplomatic ties. To commemorate this occasion, Russia will host a Year of Chinese Culture in 2024, while China will host a Year of Russian Culture in 2025. "The Russian Heart" Cultural and Art Festival is expected to contribute to enhancing the cultural ties between the two countries and the cultural exchanges between their peoples, according to a media briefing.

As part of the Year of Chinese Culture, Russia's Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation, or Rossotrudnichestvo, will jointly host the "The Russian Heart" festival with the New City Center for Creative Industries, the Russian Culture Center in Beijing and the Beijing Exhibition Center, head of Rossotrudnichestvo, Yevgeny Primakov, told the Global Times.

"Soft power continues to play an important role in foreign policy strategies and major decisions in world politics. Strengthening so-called Track II diplomacy, [which stresses people-to-people and cultural exchanges and non-official contact], helps promote more effective communication and establish new business ties," Primakov said.

People-to-people communication and understanding of each other's culture are the basis of long-term good neighborliness, Primakov noted.

More than 20 regions of the Russian Federation Council will present exhibits covering folk arts, crafts, traditional clothing, fashion and textiles. Art performances will also be featured during the cultural and art festival.

Natalia Stepkina, minister-counsellor, permanent representative to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Secretariat, introduced that the program also consists of a movie festival and contests on knowledge of Russian language and culture.

"We will introduce Russian customs to our Chinese friends. We also attach great attention to introducing the art of Russian regions to people across China, so that more people will participate in cross-cultural exchanges," Stepkina said.