ST. PETERSBURG, September 12. /TASS/. National culture can only thrive through interaction with others; any attempt at self-isolation inevitably leads to crisis and decline, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at the 11th St. Petersburg United Cultures International Forum.
The president described Russia’s national and cultural diversity as a "priceless gift," stressing the need to maintain a balance between innovation and timeless values, and declaring that efforts to abolish cultures are unacceptable. TASS has highlighted the key points from his speech.
According to Putin, when societies embrace self-isolation or see themselves as inherently superior, they inevitably face "a phase of spiritual and intellectual crisis, followed by cultural decline and stagnation in all fields of life."
Russia, he noted, has achieved the status of a nation "truly great in its art, science, and literature" precisely because of its cultural diversity. "By the way, creativity is in itself a wonderful environment for communication, and we advocate strengthening interaction between writers from different countries," he added.
The president stressed that civilizations are shaped through the interaction of traditions, artistic heritage, and the cultures of different peoples. Culture, he said, must strike a careful balance between openness and the preservation of core values.
