Margarita Rusetskaya: "Azerbaijan created all conditions to carry out researches in Russian"

In an interview to Vestnik Kavkaza, rector of the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, Margarita Rusetskaya, spoke about how often Russian language is used in Azerbaijan and noted that the country built a great system for its preservation and study.

- What can you tell about current situation with study and preservation of Russian language in CIS countries?

- The Pushkin State Russian Language Institute is the main organization of post-Soviet space for teaching Russian language in the CIS countries. So for the third year we working as a methodical coordination center, and there is the Public Council for teaching Russian language in the CIS countries, which includes representatives of the Ministries of Education of each of these countries. That is why we're pretty well aware of the situation with Russian language, with personnel, procedures, textbooks and so on. 

- What about Russian language in the South Caucasus?

- If we talk about Azerbaijan, it has a perfectly built system of preservation and study of  Russian language. We see that it is not just a language for everyday communication. On streets, in public institutions, Russian language sounds good, in very high quality, and many people speak in in Russian, young people speak in it. Azerbaijan created all conditions to carry out researches in Russian. It is very important. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Moldova, they all still carry out scientific researches in Russian, which complement the number of works and research, educational, archival documents. So I think it is very important.

- The situation with Georgia is more complicated. Perhaps due to various objective reasons, political misunderstandings, but, nevertheless, there are all necessary conditions. For our part, we are open for cooperation and with more active position of our colleagues we are ready to also continue this work in Georgia, there is no doubt about it.

- Are there any joint projects between your institute and Azerbaijan?

- Yes. First of all, our project of volunteer action "Ambassadors of Russian Language in the World". It was already held in Moldova, in Kyrgyzstan, in Armenia. Azerbaijan is the next country on the agenda, where, hopefully, our collegues will go. In addition - famous forum on multiculturalism, which takes place in Azerbaijan and which is supported by the presidents of our countries. We always take part in it and to present there our projects related to Russian language, with humanitarian exchanges in Russian. 

Moreover, within the framework of the Year of Education, the CIS countries plan the Congress of teachers, where all countries will be presented. It will be a profile platform, where we will once again talk about new features of preservation and study of Russian language. I think that the language of communication of all nations is still same. We have an amazing region, very diverse, colorful. Peoples, languages, cultures - all of this definitely must be preserved. This is the uniqueness of our country. But without a doubt, Russian language is the language of communication, understanding, dialogue and development of the country, sustainable development of the country.