• Start date:  23.04.2021
• End date:  23.04.2021
• RU:  Круглый стол по культуре «Сила искусства – в частности во времена кризиса»
• DE:  Runder Tisch zum Thema „Die Kraft der Kunst – auch und gerade in Zeiten der Krise“
• Status: Completed

On April 23rd, a cultural round table "The Power of Art - Particularly in Times of Crisis" was held in the format of a videoconference.

The event was moderated by Helga Rabl-Stadler, President of the Salzburg Festival. In her speech, she outlined one of the main goals of the round table and the Forum as a whole. "We must use the Sochi Dialogue to raise urgent cultural issues that are central to both countries. Our goal is to bring together the best people and the best minds from Russia and Austria to solve particular problems," said Mrs. Rabl-Schtadler.

Welcoming remarks were also made by Assistant to the President of the Russian Federation, co-chairman of the "Sochi Dialogue" on the Russian side Andrey Fursenko, Honorary President of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, co-chairman of the Forum on the Austrian side Christoph Leutl, Special Envoy of the Federal Ministry of the Republic of Austria for Europe, integration and foreign affairs Margot Klestil-Loeffler and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in the Republic of Austria Dmitry Lyubinsky.

The discussion was productive, the round table participants exchanged views on the topic of the event. During the round table, the problems of cultural interaction were discussed. The speeches emphasized the importance of mixed culture, within the context of the Sochi Dialogue, and discussed the need to support cultural figures in order to promote cultural interaction between the two countries. The speakers focused on strengthening joint efforts in the aspect of cultural cooperation.

Recently, cultural interaction has been limited due to the unfavorable epidemiological situation, but this has not stopped us from holding online events and looking for other ways to expand cultural ties.

"Cooperation in the sphere of culture is especially relevant today, when the world is facing the global pandemic challenge. I am very pleased that we are gradually returning to the format of personal communication. On April 13, 2021, the Sochi Dialogue conference "Protecting Cultural Property: the Russian-Austrian Cooperation Space" was held at O.E. Kutafin University (Moscow State Law Academy) as part of the VIII Moscow Legal Forum. The subject of discussion for colleagues who gathered at the round table was the protection of intellectual property, intellectual rights, access to cultural values, legal regulation, cultural projects. During the pandemic, issues of strengthening cultural ties and the emergence of joint projects have become of particular relevance. This session opened a series of events devoted to the experience and cooperation between Russia and Austria in the field of preservation and transfer of cultural heritage objects", - said Andrey Fursenko.

Dmitry Aksenov emphasized that cooperation should be developed on particular projects, where representatives of civil society of Russia and Austria would be able to discuss existing issues in detail. Such initiatives provide mutual understanding, mutual goal-setting and the desire to achieve joint results. According to Dmitry Aksenov, one of these projects, is the contemporary art fair Viennacontemporary, which will be presented at the beginning of June as part of the St. Petersburg Economic Forum.