Participation of the President of the Romanian-Russian Economic and Cultural Cooperation Chamber at the Russian World Assembly

Bucharest, [01-04 nov 2024] – Tudor Afanasov, President of the Romanian-Russian Economic and Cultural Cooperation Chamber, actively participated in the XVI Russian World Assembly, organized by the "Russkiy Mir" Foundation. At this prestigious event, he was invited to speak in a dedicated session alongside notable figures such as Elena Alexandrovna Smirnova, a cultural studies expert, and Mikhail Efimovich Ivanov, Presidential Advisor on Cultural Affairs.
During the session, Tudor Afanasov emphasized the need for collective efforts to strengthen cultural and spiritual ties, highlighting the initiatives of the Romanian-Russian Economic and Cultural Cooperation Chamber to preserve common heritage. He also underscored the importance of youth in promoting and safeguarding cultural identity.
The main document presented at the assembly, titled “The Russian World as a Spiritual Stronghold: The Role of Old Believers in Resisting Destructive Neoliberal Ideology,” addressed several key themes:
The Russian World as a Cultural-Civilizational Project – Defined as a cultural and spiritual community deriving its strength from shared values such as family, tradition, and spirituality, these principles are essential for social stability, despite the challenges posed by modern ideologies.
Challenges of Neoliberal Ideology – The assembly highlighted the negative impact of neoliberalism on traditional values, which promotes individualism and materialism at the expense of collective responsibility and solidarity. The main challenges mentioned include:
Undermining the family institution by promoting absolute freedom, leading to significant shifts in family structure.
Secularization and loss of spiritual importance, with spirituality being replaced by materialism and consumerism.
Commercialization of culture and education, making them accessible only to the economically privileged.
Promotion of extreme individualism, fragmenting communities and weakening social bonds.
Role of Old Believer Communities – The Old Believer communities are portrayed as bastions of resilience against ideological changes. These communities demonstrate a deep commitment to traditional values and serve as an inspiring example of preserving identity and traditions. Their main roles include:
Protecting and passing down traditional values to younger generations.
Engaging in educational and cultural activities aimed at conserving and promoting the cultural heritage of the Russian World.
Youth Involvement – To counter modern ideologies that undermine traditions, it is necessary to create structures and opportunities for active youth participation, including youth clubs, educational programs, and volunteer initiatives. These activities are seen as a way to instill in young people a sense of belonging and responsibility for their culture and identity.
Tudor Afanasov's participation in this session reinforced the commitment of the Romanian-Russian Economic and Cultural Cooperation Chamber to support shared values and heritage alongside international partners, promoting a deep cultural understanding and an open dialogue.