„European Meridian XXI“ Online Conference: „International cooperation and public diplomacy“

REGISTRATION

ONLINE CONFERENCE “INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AND PUBLIC DIPLOMACY DURING PANDEMIC CRISIS: CHALLENGES, PRACTICES AND TRENDS”

15 June 2020

From 15:00 to 17:00 (CET)

Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Brussels online webinar platform with support of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences

PROGRAMME

Plenary Session

Public diplomacy as a means of strengthening solidarity between countries. Will it help to overcome
mistrust?

Panel Sessions

1. Social changes in the era of the pandemic: Migration and Cultural Diversity

2. Distancing vs responsibility and solidarity

3. Digitization of cultural institutions. What kind of "remote" cultural product will remain in demand
after the pandemic?

SPEAKERS

Eleonora MITROFANOVA, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary , Russia

Alexey GROMYKO, Director of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia

Henry SARDARYAN, Dean of the School of Governance and Politics at MGIMO-University, Russia

Marco MARTINIELLO, Research Director at the National Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS), director of the Centre for Migration Studies (CEDEM), Faculty of Social Studies of Liège University, Belgium

Alessandro MAZZOLA, post-doc researcher at the Centre for Migration Studies (CEDEM) of Liège
University, Belgium

Ivan TIMOFEEV, Director of Programs at the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), Russia

Caroline GALACTÉROS-LUCHTENBERG, auditor of the Institute for Advanced Studies in National Defence, France

Мarc FRANCO, Senior Associate Fellow in the Europe in the World Program of EGMONT (Royal Institute for International Relations)advisor for cultural diplomacy at BOZAR (Centre for Fine Arts Brussels), Belgium

Alexey LEBEDEV, Director of the International Cultural Program“Russian seasons”, Russia

Vera BUNINA, Director of Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Brussels

DESCRIPTION

The unprecedented in modern history pandemic crisis has affected all spheres of public life, changing priorities and exposing vulnerabilities primarily in those areas where developed countries have made the biggest progress – healthcare and social protection. Dependence on humanitarian assistance has increased not only for the vulnerable population, most of whom are refugees, who have significantly changed the European social landscape in recent decades, but also for the populations considered as
protected in countries experiencing the pandemic. The UN Global Humanitarian Response Plan (GHRP), recent EU documents, etc. tackle the issue of reforming the humanitarian aid system. However, the global crisis calls for other solutions, which will be impossible to find without a better coordination and interaction between governments and civil societies of countries fighting against COVID-19. It is obvious that if we want to overcome the crisis we would need to tackle all kinds of problems which are not limited to "sanitary" problems. It would be impossible to carry out without strengthening solidarity and cooperation both internationally and within crisis-affected countries, enhancing social responsibility, adjusting public and economic governance mechanisms, digitizing cultural institutions, education and training systems and, finally, combating fake news. The speakers will be invited to share their analysis of what the social consequences of the pandemic
may be and what should be the role of public diplomacy of European countries and Russia in organizing a timely and adapted response to this unprecedented crisis.

WORKING LANGUAGE: English