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Russia needs to expand cultural ties with Egypt, Syria, Arabian Peninsula — report

The authors highlighted that a significant step toward strengthening Russia's cultural diplomacy could be the establishment of "a regular major Middle East festival featuring historical and ethnological discussions on the unity of a diverse world"

MOSCOW, December 24. /TASS/. Russia should prioritize strengthening relations with Egypt, Syria, and the Arabian Peninsula to promote its culture in the Middle East, according to a report by the Primakov Center titled "The Mission of Russia's Cultural and Scientific Diplomacy in the Middle East" presented at TASS.

The report was authored by Vitaly Naumkin, an academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) and scientific director of the RAS Institute of Oriental Studies; Mikhail Piotrovsky, an academician of both the RAS and the Russian Academy of Arts and director general of the State Hermitage Museum (participating online); and Vasily Kuznetsov, deputy director of the RAS Institute of Oriental Studies.

"Russia's cultural ties with the Middle East are now weaker than they should be. However, there is an opportunity to change this by focusing on two key regions," the report stated. "The first is Egypt and Syria, with their rich cultural traditions. A significant partner for collaboration is the Grand Egyptian Museum, which aims to become the best museum in the world. The second is the Arabian Peninsula, where modern cultural institutions, well-integrated with Western practices, are being developed while remaining emotionally receptive to other unique traditions," the report noted.

The authors highlighted that a significant step toward strengthening Russia's cultural diplomacy could be the establishment of "a regular major Middle East festival featuring historical and ethnological discussions on the unity of a diverse world."

"It could involve representatives from all countries in the region, including Israel, with whom it is essential to maintain cultural ties," the report stated.

"The goals of Russian cultural diplomacy today should be straightforward: to foster an understanding of the cultural legitimacy of Russia's policy and to propose cultural cooperation projects as a foundation for political understanding and mutual cultural enrichment," the authors concluded.