MOSCOW, December 5. /ITAR-TASS/. Next year's UK-Russia Year of Culture is of global value to both countries, Russia’s Deputy Culture Minister Alla Manilova told an Itar-Tass news conference on Thursday.
“The upcoming cross-year is not just a Year of Culture. It is a global event in our countries’ life,” Manilova said. “This is a year of important academic ties considering that its program features, besides many cultural events, a number of activities in the sphere of education, youth exchanges and tourism. On the whole, there will be events organized in all those areas which we sometimes call the academic sphere.”
“I hope the program will allow us to raise our relations to a new, higher level,” she added.
Within the framework of this series of promotional events Russia and Great Britain will hold a large number of activities. One of the nearest events is a grand concert in the city of Sochi in February.
“There will be a gala concert in the Olympics’ capital on February 8 with the participation of Russian and British ballet stars,” Manilova said. “The best dancers from both countries will appear on stage. This is a joint project devoted to the Olympic Games.”
Manilova noted also that the Russian Culture Ministry was currently preparing a large exhibition dedicated to World War I.
“We are making this exhibition together with our leading museums,” she said. “In Autumn 2014, it will be shown in France. And we want to take it also to Great Britain within the framework of the cross-year.