Russia – UNESCO: 70 Years of Cooperation

On April 22, the Russian Foreign Ministry hosted the grand opening of a documentary photo exhibition dedicated to the 70th anniversary of the USSR/Russia’s accession to UNESCO. The photo exhibition was prepared jointly with the Russian News Agency TASS and is dedicated to the main milestones of Russia’s cooperation with the Organization.

The event was chaired by Foreign Minister of Russia, Chairman of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO Sergey Lavrov. It was attended by members of the Commission, heads of Russian ministries and departments, representatives of the business community, education, science, culture, media, and sports as well as heads of diplomatic delegations.

Opening the event, Sergey Lavrov emphasized that the USSR and Russia have made a significant contribution to UNESCO’s activities over the past 70 years. Sergey Lavrov placed special emphasis on the work of the Russian Commission for UNESCO, which unites federal and regional authorities, nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions, universities, museums, nature reserves, the media, research institutes, schools, and creative intelligentsia.

“We are truly committed to the values that the founding fathers and mothers originally put into the foundation of this fine Organization. I am confident that UNESCO will weather the current challenging times marked by widespread attempts to preserve domination and neocolonial agenda, including in matters related to mankind’s historical heritage and artistic achievements of different civilizations, including on the  platform of this Organization. UNESCO will return to its original mission that meets the interests of all civilizations, countries, peoples, cultures, and religions without exception,” said Lavrov.

General Director of the Russian News Agency TASS Andrey Kondrashov also spoke at the event. Charge d’Affaires of Belarus in Russia Darya Shmanay read out the greeting message of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Russian Federation Dmitry Krutoy.

The solemn event was followed by the opening of a retrospective documentary photo exhibition prepared by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the TASS News Agency. It presents two dozen photos reflecting various stages of the longstanding cooperation between the USSR/Russia and UNESCO: footage of meetings between Soviet/Russian leaders and UNESCO directors general, international expeditions in the Arctic and on the Angara River, photos from international symposia and UNESCO festivals in Russia. The photographers managed to capture many bright moments: Yuri Gagarin’s speech at the 14th International Astronautical Congress in 1963, the opening of the exhibitions The Great Victory and Saved Frescoes in May 1985, the awarding of the UNESCO Prize to academician Yevgeniy Chazov and American cardiologist Bernard Lown who represent the international movement International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, the awarding of the Medal for contributions to the development of nanoscience and nanotechnologies to physicist Zhores Alferov. 

A number of photographs tell about the joint work with UNESCO on protecting Russian and world cultural monuments. TASS photographers captured the moments of the presentation of the certificates of inscription of the Vladimir–Suzdal monuments and the Kazan Kremlin on the World Heritage List and also preserved for history footage of the Mariinsky Theater Symphony Orchestra’s performance in Syria as part of the concert With a Prayer for Palmyra: Music Enlivens the Ancient Walls.

Sources: TASS, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs