Minister of Education and Science of the DPR Mikhail Kushakov conveyed the greeting of the Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic Denis Pushilin to the Forum participants.

“For the second year, this platform provides a wonderful opportunity to discuss important aspects of the integration of the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics with the Russian Federation.

The Forum topic is also important because education, science, and culture are the areas that clearly demonstrate strong cooperation with Russian colleagues. We all appreciate the fact that a number of leading universities of the Republic were able to accredit some programmes according to Russian educational standards. And this work continues.

Within these University walls, it is precisely known that historically Donbass is the land of Russian people. The Russian language, the Russian culture, the Russian world are important to us. This is the reason for the desire of the inhabitants of the Republic to unity with Russia.

The Forum programme is very rich and timely, the science and education of Donbass really face various challenges, so it is very useful to generalize the experience of overcoming difficult situations caused by known limitations. The topic of information warfare is also far from abstract for most residents of Donbass, and this area requires scientific analysis and development of proposals on tactics and strategy of information wars.

I wish the Forum participants successful and productive work. I want to thank the organizers, participants and, of course, the guests from the Russian Federation, Lugansk People’s Republic, Bulgaria, South Ossetia, Estonia and other countries for this important activity, which is aimed at reviving the unity and prosperity of the multinational Russian world,” the head of the Donetsk People’s Republic said in his greeting.

During the event, Mikhail Kushakov congratulated the audience on an important event, emphasized the relevance of the Forum, aimed at further steps to develop a common scientific, educational, cultural and information space between Donbass and Russia. The Minister wished all participants interesting discussions and productive work.

Natalya Volkova, Chairperson of the Committee on Education, Science and Culture of the People’s Council, emphasized that the Forum participants who came from different countries of the world, representatives of the Russian world are united not only by common roots, culture, language, but also by mentality, a system of universal human values.

It was also noted that welcome telegrammes and video messages from representatives of the scientific community of near and far abroad were received.

Svetlana Bespalova, Rector of Donetsk National University, said that the Forum gathered more than two thousand participants from eight countries who are to consider the main directions and ways of developing humanitarian ties between Donbass and the Russian scientific community in the development of international regional programmes and strategies for preserving historical memory and cultural heritage, as well as to determine the tasks in countering threats to the Russian world in the context of information and psychological wars. Svetlana Bespalova summed up the results of the great work that is being done at the University with the support of the Russkiy Mir Foundation and within in the framework of the Year of the Russian Language in the Donetsk People’s Republic.

Topical issues were discussed during the plenary session “Development of a common scientific, educational, cultural and information space between Donbass and Russia”. Thematic discussions are also held at several platforms on this day.

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