STORY: Russian minister advocates preservation, development of cultural heritage
SHOOTING TIME: Nov. 18, 2023
DATELINE: Nov. 21, 2023
LENGTH: 00:01:10
LOCATION: ST. PETERSBURG, Russia
CATEGORY: CULTURE 

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the 9th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Russian): OLGA LYUBIMOVA, Russian Culture Minister
3. various of the 9th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (Russian): OLGA LYUBIMOVA, Russian Culture Minister

STORYLINE:

Countries should treat cultures of different countries with an inclusive attitude and work together to preserve cultural heritage, said Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova.

SOUNDBITE 1 (Russian): OLGA LYUBIMOVA, Russian Culture Minister
"Cultural heritage should be preserved and promoted without fear of dialogue, and we should be open to accept knowledge from other countries and share this knowledge within our own country."

The 9th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum, jointly organized by the government of the Russian Federation, the Russian Ministry of Culture and the St. Petersburg government, was held from Nov. 16 to 18.
  
After a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 epidemic, about 1,000 cultural figures and more than 50 official delegations gathered in the forum again to discuss such topics as theater, cinema, musical arts and their links to business and economy.

SOUNDBITE 2 (Russian): OLGA LYUBIMOVA, Russian Culture Minister
"Although the representatives spoke different languages, and the issues described were also very different, we were united by the desire to preserve the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of our own countries."
   
Cooperation between Russia and China on culture has been on the rise in recent years, Lyubimova said, citing examples including the 13th International Festival "Russian-Chinese Culture and Art Fair" held in Blagoveshchensk and Heihe, and the Russian cartoon "Smeshariki" that has become so popular in China that its creators designed a new character -- Panda.
   
Lyubimova believes that the two countries are set to have more cultural exchanges as the years 2024-2025 will be the joint Russia-China years of culture.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from St. Petersburg, Russia.
(XHTV)