A meeting of the National Council of the UNESCO Associated Schools Project network (ASP) took place on October 7–9, 2019 in the city of Krasnodar, including a discussion of best practices and initiatives of UNESCO ASP with regards to regional and international affairs. The prospects of developing mechanisms for cooperation with UNESCO departments and clubs have been analyzed, a work plan for the coming year has been drawn up.
Liliana Egorova, the Deputy Mayor of Krasnodar City municipal formation, addressed the meeting with a welcoming speech.
Grigory Ordzhonikidze, Secretary-General of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, Ambassador-at-Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, opened the event. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of ASP network in dissemination of information about the UN and UNESCO, the development of intercultural communication, the promotion of peace, and the exploration, implementation and dissemination of best practices in education and upbringing.
The meeting was continued by Nella Pruss, National UNESCO ASPnet coordinator of the Russian Federation, Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in Training and Retraining of Specialists under Market Economy Conditions, Rector of the University of Management “TISBI” (Kazan). She talked about what it means to be a member of the Network, what benefits the participants receive and what obligations they face. Ms. Pruss emphasized the importance of creating additional opportunities for the development of international contacts by means of ASPnet.
The presentation of annual reports was made by representatives of 9 regional centers of UNESCO ASPnet. The centers are formed on the geographical basis: “Moscow”, “Center”, “Baltic-North”, “South-Caucasus”, “Volga”, “Bashkortostan”, “Ural”, “Sakha-Baikal” and “Siberia-Altai”. Currently, the Russian Network covers the whole country: from Petrozavodsk and Kaliningrad to Yakutia, from Murmansk to Dagestan.
At the end of the meeting official part, there was the awarding of ASP certificates signed by Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO, as well as of Russian UNESCO Clubs certificates.
The meeting of the National Council was held with the support of the Interschool Aesthetic Center of Krasnodar City (IAC) and with the participation of Margarita Ambartsumyan, its permanent leader, coordinator of the South-Caucasus region. The pupils of the IAC — children’s brass and symphony orchestras, a concert choir, instrumental soloists — have prepared an outstanding cultural program for the meeting participants.
Interschool Aesthetic Center of Krasnodar City