ST. PETERSBURG, September 12. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin will speak at the St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum.

When TASS asked Russian Presidential Spokesman Dmitry Peskov about Putin's participation in the forum, he gave an affirmative answer. The president is currently in St. Petersburg.

Special envoy of the Russian President for international cultural cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoy told TASS that he is expected to moderate the forum's plenary session, just as the previous year.

The 10th St. Petersburg International United Cultures Forum is now underway. This year its main theme is "Culture of the XXI century: sovereignty or globalism?". A plenary session is scheduled for Thursday. The business program includes ten thematic sections, curated by public and political figures, representatives of the art sphere. The business program is complemented by an extensive cultural one. In total, more than 250 events of the business and cultural program are planned. TASS is the general information partner of the forum.

Putin several times participated in the work of such forums. Thus, in 2018, he noted the significance of the meeting of cultural figures whose artistic, historical, cultural and educational projects open up exuberance of new meanings, affirm the triumph of talent, creative energy and inspiration. The president also drew attention to the peacemaking mission of culture, which "brings nations together, sometimes in spite of political differences or economic challenges, and upholds the high values of humanism, equality and mutual respect".

In 2023, the president said that it is inherently impossible to cancel Russian culture, as it has "true freedom and mercy, love for humanity and spirituality" at its basis. In his opinion, the mission of culture is to build bridges between nations, which military or political forces can hardly do. "Those who want to burn the last bridges are uncivilized and ignorant people. Putin also emphasized that the policy of cancelling Russia is "anti-cultural, neo-colonial, racist" itself.