Nikita Vlasov on Vesti.FM: a dialogue between Slavic peoples is as important as it was never before

Pan-Slavism is a concept crystallized in the 19th century when the topic of the political unification of the Slavic-speaking peoples on the basis of common culture, history, language and blood relationship was prevailing. That time the First Pan-Slav Congress was held, the first Pan-Slav flag and anthem were created, the analyst of Vestnik Kavkaza, Nikita Vlasov, said today in the National Question program on Vesti.FM, talking about the main problems of the Russian national policy.

”These ideas were extremely in demand by Nicholas I and Alexander III with their craving for official Slavophilism since they created the basis for Russia's most important geopolitical project - unification of all Slavic peoples under the scepter of the Russian Tsar. A significant part of the Slavic peoples that time was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire or Austria-Hungary, " the analyst said.

According to the expert, since then, the idea of Pan-Slavism has largely lost its political relevance, having turned more into a humanitarian, social and cultural project. "Although I would like to note that the Slav Congresses are still held, mainly they discuss scientific and educational projects, for example, the activities of the International Association of Slavic Universities, the activities of the Slavic Committee and holding of the joint Slav holidays. Special public projects are mainly of a bilateral, but not a multilateral nature, for example, between Russia and Serbia, "the analyst of Vestnik Kavkaza said.

"But this does not mean that the topic of the mutual interest and attraction of the Slavic peoples was completely left in the past or dusted in the shadow of the university's lecture rooms and scientific offices. On the contrary, in connection with the situation in Ukraine, the search for ways to preserve the public dialogue between Russians, Ukrainians, Ruthenians, Byelorussians, Poles is as important as it was never before,’’ Nikita Vlasov pointed out.