At a news conference about the upcoming Intervision International Music Contest, to begin in Moscow on Sept. 20, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov emphasized the central role of cultural dialogue in overcoming artificially imposed divisions among peoples. “There are attempts to split us and to build new walls to separate us…. With these headwinds in mind, interpersonal communication will consolidate the positive and natural trends in evolution of humanity, which, in the grand scheme of things, wants to live a peaceful and prosperous life, and have the opportunity to communicate and get familiar with other cultures.”
The Intervision contest was originally founded during the Soviet period and was recently revived, after Russia was banned from the annual Eurovision competition, at the initiative of the “Traditions of Art Foundation,” which Lavrov describes as “preserving cultural, religious, spiritual and ethical traditions.”
When one journalist raised an article in TheGuardian that describes Russia “dusting off” the old contest, and other “unflattering” articles in Western media, Lavrov quipped: “Someone is trying to accuse Russia of pulling weapons out of a chest. Did The Guardian post that? Don’t the British have anything left to blow the dust off? Nothing, apparently. Unfortunately, they keep thwarting contacts between people.” Lavrov also made the point to contrast the intention of Intervision with “modern reinterpretations, like the rewriting of The Last Supper we witnessed at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.”
In answering a question on the importance of the event, Lavrov responded: “It seems to me that initiatives fostering civilizational dialogue and contact are always timely. President of China Xi Jinping has previously outlined four initiatives, including those pertaining to humanity’s shared future. The revival of Intervision aligns with the need to recognize art and culture as integral to this common destiny.”
“We are not pursuing any political effect,” Lavrov said. “Our aim is for humanity’s original purpose and identity to be respected and realized through free interaction with others, enriching one another by engaging with each other’s spiritual values.”
