All news

Finished Russia-Germany cross years help build up long-term partnership

Russian Ambassador in Germany Vladimir Grinin gave a high estimate to the bilateral project
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

BERLIN, July 4 (Itar-Tass) - Russia and Germany “succeeded to cope in general” with an ambitious task, which a sweeping program of the Russia-Germany cross years in 2012-2013 set, that is to say, promote the build-up of a long-term partnership cooperation in all trends. Russian Ambassador in Germany Vladimir Grinin gave this assessment to the completed large-scale bilateral project in an interview with Itar-Tass.

The diplomat recalled that the cross years under a remarkable common motto “Russia and Germany: we are building the future together” were held under the patronage of the presidents of the two countries. “The project embraced the entire scope of bilateral cooperation in politics, economy, culture, education, science and scientific research,” he noted.

“Within the programs over 1,000 events, including such large-scale events as joint artistic and historical exhibitions “Russians and Germans: the millennium of history, culture and arts”, “Between the East and the West. The treasures of the Kremlin from Ivan the Terrible to Peter the Great”, “The Bronze Age - Europe without the borders” were held. “They permitted to realize how many things unite us and how huge the potential of our cooperation for the future is, despite horrible pages of the common history, which no one should forget,” Grinin indicated.

In his view, the cross years also fulfilled their main mission - to give a fresh impetus to the Russian-German Partnership for Modernization Strategy oriented at the future. “Meanwhile, this has spread on those spheres, which need the special support - academic, scientific, youth exchanges, a broad network of contacts and cooperation between the civil societies at different levels, including the ties between the regions and municipalities,” the Russian ambassador in Germany said.

He noted the fact that most events on the program of the cross years “were planned, organized and held jointly with Russian and German institutions and organizations, meanwhile, frequently thanks to private investments.” “I will put it straightforwardly, neither we nor our partners had to encourage and convince anyone, metaphorically speaking. The initiatives were literally pouring like from the horn of plenty. I am sure that a large part of established numerous ties will be continued,” Vladimir Grinin said.