On June 23, 2017 in Barnaul, in the Altai State University, the Summer Academy of the BRICS Youth Assembly opening ceremony took place. The event is organized on the initiative of the National Youth Council of Russia within the framework of the Program for the Development of Student Associations of the Altai State University for 2017 with the support of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs and the Asian Universities Association.
The Head of the Representative Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in Barnaul Petrov Dmitry, Deputy Chairperson of the National Youth Council of Russia Bolotnov Alexander, First Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs of the Altai State University Shvakov Evgeny, advisor to the National Committee for BRICS Research Gorbacheva Valeriya, the deputy of the Altai regional Legislative Assembly, a member of the Chamber of Young Legislators under the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Yakushev Nikolai, director of the Center for International Programs of the Russian Union of Youth Ezhov Aleksey, Program Director of the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund Silakov Nikita, PIR Center consultant Mangoev Adlan and others attended the opening ceremony.
In his welcoming speech, Alexander Bolotnov noted that with the development of international youth cooperation in the CIS space, the Council of Europe, the African Union, etc. the National Youth Council of Russia in its work pays special attention to building cooperation, developing a youth, non-governmental track within the framework of the BRICS.
Gorbachev Valeria drew attention to the fact that «today a large number of youth organizations are engaged in BRICS subjects. And we, as the National Committee for BRICS Research, support similar initiatives for the development of the youth track».
Alexey Ezhov and Nikita Silakov, in turn, noted that for their organizations — the Russian Youth Union and the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund it is important to maintain cooperation with the National Council, the consolidating youth organization, a reliable partner, within the framework of similar projects.
The head of the delegation from the Republic of India, the President of the youth organization «International BRICS Forum» Mrs. Purnima Anand noted that she supports the initiative of the National Council for the creation of the BRICS Youth Assembly. Moreover, she is glad to have the opportunity to cooperate in preparation of the 19th World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi.
The Summer Academy of the BRICS Youth Assembly will continue its work until June 26. Its participants are representatives of the government bodies, youth parliamentary associations, the business community, the media, leaders of youth and student associations of the BRICS countries, whose activities and interests are related to the development of international youth cooperation and public diplomacy.
