The Regional Public Organization "BRICS. World of Traditions", Moscow, Russia (further – Organization) and the International Youth Edu-Skills Foundation, Noida, India, are preparing for the realization of the International and Interregional social and cultural program "BRICS People Choosing Life" that will be implemented in the states of "the five" from 2022 to 2025 under the motto “From the ecology of soul and body to the ecology of the world”.
The project will strengthen the emotional, spiritual and physical health of people, and increase the authority and moral level of the countries in the multilateral arena of BRICS, which will create the grounds for the further rapprochement of BRICS peoples.
The program starts with the Indian phase that will be held on December 12-21, 2022, in New Delhi, Mumbai and Pune and will be dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Russia and India, the 75th anniversary of India's Independence and the 550th anniversary of the journey of Tver merchant Afanasy Nikitin to India (further - Program).
The main aims and objectives include the unification of peoples, cities, and educational institutions of Russia and India through the joint realization of the program’s projects in the areas of culture, art, education, establishing twinning ties between cities and charity, trade and business cooperation, preservation and popularization of the cultural, historical and spiritual heritage of the peoples of the two countries.
The Indian program will contribute to the development of bilateral relations between the Russian and Indian people in the humanitarian and business spheres.
The presentation of the Indian program will be held both in Russia and India. On the eve of Russia's National Unity Day, November 4, the presentation of the program will be held on November 3, 2022, at Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO University of the MFA of Russia) as part of the International Meeting "BRICS Youth Unity Day".
In New Delhi, the Program will be presented at the extended press conference on December 12, 2022, which will be organized together with the Confederation of Young Leaders, India. The list of honoured guests will include Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Republic of India Denis Alipov, Trade Commissioner of the Russian Federation to the Republic of India Alexander Rybas, Head of the Russian House in New Delhi Oleg Osipov, and the representatives of the Indian Ministry of External Affairs and Ministry of Culture.
As part of the humanitarian track of the Program, an important educational and enlightening project will be implemented in India, with its main aim being the moral upbringing of young people on the grounds of studying, preserving and popularizing spiritual heritage and ideas of non-violence of its apologists Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi.
The principal objectives of the educational project are creating the Russian and Indian cultural and educational centre of Mahatma Gandhi and Leo Tolstoy (further – Centre) on the premises of the Indian school and establishing friendly and educational relations between the Indian and Russian schools for the sake of joint work of opening and maintaining the Centre, exchanging experience in cultural and educational dimensions, implementing joint projects, and promoting the Russian language in India.
To complete these tasks, the famous Delhi Public School, Dwarka has been chosen from the Indian side. The DPS Dwarka has taken a significant interest in Russia, the Russian language and the works of Russian writer Leo Tolstoy, as well as his alliance with great Indian philosopher Mahatma Gandhi. The first step towards the creation of the Museum will be unveiling the school’s cultural and enlightening exhibition “Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi: a Unique Heritage” this year. It will be dedicated to the birthday of the Indian philosopher and the International Day of Non-Violence celebrated on October 2. The exhibition will illustrate the famous correspondence about non-violence between two of its apologists.
The partner of the Indian school is the State Budgetary Educational Institution of Moscow "School №1409" that plans to open a Museum (Centre) "Great BRICS Teachers" in its building, with Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi being the central figures of the exhibition.
Thus, both schools having common ground and interests will develop friendly, cultural and educational relations for the sake of mutual enrichment of knowledge about the language, culture, traditions and history of another country, which will contribute to the development of bilateral cooperation in the educational and enlightening spheres.
The Russian Embassy in India has assisted in developing necessary contacts with the Indian school that has confirmed its agreement to create the Centre of Tolstoy and Gandhi on its premises and forge collaboration with the Moscow school, as it stands today. Signing the Agreement of cooperation between the two schools is planned during the event at the Indian school on December 13, 2022.
Ten events of the program will feature the presentation of the project "Great BRICS Teachers" at the Mahatma Gandhi’s Museum in Mumbai with the participation of students of the Mumbai State University and the Savitribai Phule Pune University.
It is planned to hold an exhibition of young artists and designers from Moscow in the Russian House in Mumbai. The participants plan to give their works as gifts to Indian orphan houses, pensions and hospitals as part of the Charity action "Children to Children".
At the initiative of Pune academics, an international scientific conference dedicated to the 75th anniversary of India's Independence featuring Russian and Indian projects will be held at the Snehavardhan Research Institute. Together with the Institute, the Indian educational organization Rayat Shikshan Sanstha and the RPO "BRICS. World of Traditions" will co-organise the event.
The meeting will be attended by Indian academics, historians, politicians, experts, professors and students of Pune universities. Upon the information of the organizers, the list of Guests of Honour of the conference will include members of the Indian parliament and officials from several ministries. From the Russian part, Consul-General of the Russian Federation in Mumbai Alexei Surovtsev will be invited.
The jubilee event "In Memory of Afanasy Nikitin" will be held at the Pilankar College in Revdanda (state of Maharashtra) near the monument to the merchant from Tver. The event will also be dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the monument’s unveiling in 2002. During the meeting, the Russian delegation will bring the idea of developing friendly ties between this college and the Svistalovskaya school of Tver Region, the Motherland of Afanasy Nikitin.
The business track of the Program will include the examination of the initiative of establishing a twin-city partnership between Samara in Russia and Pune in India, which is relevant today when further development and strengthening of bilateral ties with India, as well as getting reliable partners in different dimensions, including twin-city relations, are especially necessary for Russia.
Both cities stand out with a high level of industry, culture, education, and socioeconomic and touristic spheres, which will contribute to the setting and successful development of the multifaceted partnership including trade and business collaboration.
It is planned to organize the presentation of Samara in Pune with the expected support from the Administration of the city and the Chamber of Trade and Industry of Pune.
For the sake of developing Russian export of high-quality items, goods and technologies to India three cities-participants of the program will host business events destined for business missions and presentation of Russian production from manufacturers interested in forging partnerships with Indian businesses.
The events of the business track will be organized by the Union "Chamber of Trade and Industry of Samara Region" which effectuates vast international trade and economic activity with partners across the world.
One of the Indian partners of the Program is the company "DG Global Business Consultants" (DGBC), New Delhi, which cooperates with a wide network of premier Indian businesses and plans to engage them as partners and participants of the Humanitarian and Business tracks of the Program.
The Indian Program will culminate in festive fireworks in Pune on December 20, 2022, supposedly after the end of the event at the Savitribai Phule Pune University on the issue of the presentation of the project "Great BRICS Teachers".
The colourful fireworks will be a wonderful symbol of unfading and kind friendship between the two peoples, the sign of successful bilateral cooperation in various dimensions, sincere love of the Russian people for their Indian brothers.
Following India, Brazil will take the baton of the multilateral Program!
The Indian phase of the program has received support from the Department of Foreign Policy Planning and the Second Department of Asia of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the Department of Museums and External Relations of the Ministry of Culture of Russia, the Embassy of Russia in India, the Consulate General of Russia in Mumbai, the Russian Houses in New Delhi and Mumbai, the Russian Export Centre in India, the Business Council for Cooperation with India, the Trade Representation of Russia in India, the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), New Delhi.
The list of partners includes the Union "Chamber of Trade and Industry of Samara Region", the National Coordination Center for the Development of Economic Relations with the Countries of the Asia-Pacific Region, Russia, the "Union Exports" company as part of the Pune Chamber of Trade and Industry, India, the company "DG Global Business Consultants", India, the Snehvardhan Research Institute in Pune, "School No. 1409" in Moscow, the Delhi Public School, Dwarka, New Delhi.
The information support is expected from TASS News Agency, "International Affairs" journal, "TV BRICS" channel, "Rossiyskaya Gazeta" newspaper, "World Leaders" journal, media platform "Confederation of Young Leaders" in New Delhi, Indian news portal "Janhit Times", "Revista Intertelas" media journal, Brazil, information portal "ART–RELEASE.RF", Russia.
A film crew will work during all the events. Based on the footage, a professional video film about the program in India will be shot. It will be the first series of a five-episode video film "BRICS People Choosing life" which will be shown in the five countries and friendly states.