On 18-19 December 2024, the final stage of the International and Interregional Socio-Cultural and Business Programme «BRICS People Choosing Life» was held in Kazan. Since 2022 the Programme has been implemented by the Regional Public Organisation «BRICS. World of Traditions» in BRICS countries under the motto "from the ecology of the soul and the body to the ecology of the world".
The Kazan stage of the programme was organised by the Kazan Innovative University named after V.G. Timiryasov (hereinafter referred to as KIU), Public Chamber of the Republic of Tatarstan, Rossotrudnichestvo, Union «Chamber of the Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tatarstan», Regional Public Organisation «BRICS. World of Traditions», International Youth Edu-Skills Foundation (IYESF), Smart Mir Services LLC.
Rahul Sharma, Director of Regional and International Projects at the International Youth Edu-Skills Foundation (IYESF)and GM at Smart Mir Services LLC attended the final stage of the international and interregional socio-cultural and business programme «BRICS People Choosing Life» from Kazan as one of the co-organisers.
According to Sergey Ryabkov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Russia is BRICS’s sherpa. Programmes like «BRICS People Choosing Life» are currently of prime importance and doubly relevant, representing vivid creative work that encompasses all the spheres of collaboration, from trade and economy to science, education, and values.
The Russian stage of the Programme started in Moscow, then continued in Tver region (June 2024), Moscow region (July 2024) and Altai Krai (August 2024) and came to its end in Kazan (December 2024). The Programme, which was revealed in the year of the Russian Federation chairmanship in BRICS, is aimed at bringing together BRICS countries and people via joint revelation of multiple projects and initiatives in educational, cultural, humanitarian and business spheres.
The Programme in Russia is dedicated to the 195th anniversary of Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy's birth, the 155th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi's birth, the 150th anniversary of Nicholas Roerich's birth, the 100th anniversary of Raj Kapoor, the great Indian film actor birth, and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of trade relations between Russia and India.
The programme fundamentally aims to unite people, bring up the young generation in a moral and spiritual manner on the grounds of the humanistic heritage of the great representatives of BRICS people, strengthen human health, and deepen and develop multilateral trade and economic relations within the BRICS states business community.
The Kazan stage of the Programme «BRICS People Choosing Life» began at the press conference at the Public Chamber of the Republic of Tatarstan with the participation of Zilya Valeeva, Chairperson, Igor Bikeev, First Vice-Rector at Kazan Innovative University named after V.G. Timiryasov, Artur Nikolaev, First Deputy Chairman of the Union «Chamber of the Commerce and Industry of the Republic of Tatarstan», Oleg Agapov, counsellor of KIU Rector, and members of the Russian and Indian delegation, coorganisers of the educational and business events in Kazan.
The business events were held on December 18, with a business mission and B2B negotiations held in online and offline format with the participation of Tatarstan and Indian large and medium companies.
The Festival «BRICS Youth Day» at KIU on December 19 became an unforgettable, festive and exciting event. It was held under the Nicholas Roerich Banner of Peace. The guests were greeted with bread, salt and bright chak-chak (Tatarstan national sweet) in accordance with Tatarstan traditions.
Lyudmila Sekacheva, President of «BRICS. World of Traditions», and executive manager of the programme «BRICS People Choosing Life» presented the main results of the Russian stage of the programme to the participants of the meeting, inviting all of them to "go on only together and only forward under the moral mantle of Nicholas Roerich Banner of Peace to strengthen the foundation of the common BRICS house".
In his address to the participants, Sergey Ryabkov punctuated: "BRICS faces large-scale objectives. Public diplomacy plays an important role in their completion as it contributes to promoting a positive, unifying and future-oriented agenda. It accounts exactly for strengthening our cooperation, forming a beneficial environment of trust and mutual understanding, and leads to the expansion of contacts between citizens of our states".
Mr. Vinay Kumar, Minister of Education at the Embassy of India in Russia stressed the importance of creating the Centres of Lev Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi in Russian and Indian schools for the sake of the moral upbringing of children and popularising the significance of Lev Tolstoy, who Gandhi called his Guru, in the Indian history.
According to Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Director of Rossotrudnichestvo, BRICS started as a platform for interstate dialogue. However, its real power lies in promoting the values that unite the majority of people on Earth. Therefore, public diplomacy initiatives are of such importance as they are aimed at preserving the legacy of the great teachers, and at cementing business and working ties between entrepreneurs, schools, universities, and regions. BRICS People are truly choosing life.
On this day the participants were introduced to the exhibition «Leo Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi: a Unique Heritage», which illustrates the famous correspondence between the apologists of non-violence, as well as the project «Great BRICS Teachers».
The Festival commenced with all the participants performing the BRICS People’s Anthem composed by the BRICS countries' creative youth within the framework of the eponymous Contest of the programme with about 100 poetical and musical compositions submitted from Russia, India, China, Brazil, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia and Iran.
Through creating the Anthem, the young people of BRICS served as true “envoys” of their countries, conduits of their traditions, ideas, perspectives and values, which they strive to demonstrate to the world on behalf of BRICS people. The Anthem will contribute to strengthening the BRICS strategic partnership with the help of humanitarian and business collaboration, as well as enhancing people-to-people ties.
Furthermore, in the course of the Festival Dmitry Kurbatov presented the results of the Russian phase of the programme released in the format of 12 humanitarian and business initiatives, with such projects as «Great BRICS Teachers», «Lev Tolstoy and Mahatma Gandhi Centre», «BRICS Young People for Information Security», «BRICS People’s Anthem», «Open up your Heart to Kindness», and the social and business project «Trading house «AURA» having special significance. Maria Savchenkova announced the Brazilian programme in 2025.
The Festival «BRICS Youth Day» culminated in a festive concert with talented creative university groups performing BRICS people dances and songs.
The Russian and Indian delegation received a friendly and warm reception offered by the Public Chamber of the Republic of Tatarstan and personally its President Z.R. Valeeva on the occasion of the successful completion of the Kazan stage of the Programme «BRICS People Choosing Life». The participants of the meeting exchanged gifts and discussed plans for future collaboration.
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