Oksana Solopova: "Humanitarian environment is like circulatory system, it continues to connect our countries"

Moscow State University hosted the international scientific conference titled 'The Centennial of the Russian Revolution of 1917'.  Deputy dean and academic secretary of the Historical Faculty of Moscow State University, head of the Diaspora History Laboratory, chairman of the NGO "Belarussians of Moscow", candidate of historical sciences, Oksana Solopova, said in an interview with Vestnik Kavkaza that the main goal of this conference was to restore old scientific and historical ties that existed during the Soviet times.

- What is the role of events like today's international scientific conference in the process of humanitarian cooperation between the states of the former Soviet Union?

- Revolution enabled many of today's independent countries to form their statehood within the framework of republican associations, and then either restore or gain their independence after 1991. Meanwhile, after 1991, many countries torn scientific and humanitarian ties. However, we all have single Russian historiography and historical science. Moscow State University with the support of the Department of National Policy and Interregional Relations of Moscow government and Moscow House of Nationalities, with the participation of the Council for Nationalities Affairs, is carrying out activities aimed at uniting multinational community of Muscovites and humanitarian community of those countries, whose diasporas live in Moscow and in Russia.

This round table became an expression of national unity, because it unites people that are able to hear each other, that are ready to discuss things in order to work out common positions. Despite all lost ties, humanitarian environment is just like circulatory system, it continues to connect our countries, unite them and unite scientists. We all speak the same language. By the way, this international round table once again demonstrated the role of Russian language. Our platform gives an opportunity to speak to a wide variety of people, tell about the most polar points of view, about the most unexpected and controversial assessments, to debate and discuss different topics in the framework of scientific discourse. 

Such humanitarian events show the algorithm, true democracy and true scientificness that reign in our country. There's a large delegation from Belarus - our colleagues, dear friends from the Belarusian State University, from the Mogilev State University, from the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The largest delegation is from the Mogilev University and the Academy of Sciences. They came here on the eve of Unity of Peoples of Russia and Belarus Day. Today Bolshoi Theater hosted a huge event, dedicated to this day. It shows fundamental things that unite us, just like our round table. It determines our next steps. If even such polemic questions unite us, then nothing will separate us.

- How did the creation of union state affect the development of Russia and Belarus? Did it affect the entire post-Soviet space?

- This is a very accurate and correct question. Both Russian President Vladimir Putin and President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko have repeatedly stressed that the project of the Union State of Belarus and Russia is like a pilot project, which indicates that integration processes in the post-Soviet space are a necessity. The union that exists today has some problems. Things are great in some issues and not so good in others. Sometimes it can be seen and sometimes not. This is the unity of our two Eastern Slavic countries, this is clear to everyone, who cares about the development of Russia and who are our true friends.

- How can diasporas in respective countries contribute to the humanitarian cooperation between the two states?

- Overall, diasporas became a bridge that unites all neighboring countries. Those integration processes that happen in neighboring countries are supported by the activities of diasporas, which maintain relations with native countries, carry out a variety of projects that connect our states, civil societies. Representatives of diasporas have many opportunities to feel very comfortable both in the Russian Federation and in their countries. They do a lot for interstate cooperation, practically without funding and often investing their own funds. This way they show their desire and desire of society to integrate, to unite after suffering from those disintegration processes that occur naturally. After all, all countries are like living organisms. Nevertheless, it's strategically clear that integration is constructive and positive from the point of view of active part of civil society.