Rush Today audience. Simonyan Margarita Simonovna: biography, personal life and interesting facts. Awards and titles

RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan believes that the "mainstream media" lie about Russia, harming its reputation, but at the same time accuse Moscow of propaganda. In her interview with NPR, Simonyan spoke about who she communicates with over a secure telephone line, how she met Vladimir Putin, and why Russians love their president.

French President blames Russian state TV channelRT that he is spreading "false propaganda." David Green interviewed the editor-in-chiefRT Margarita Simonyan.

STEVE INSKIP, MC: My colleague David Green is now collecting materials on Russia's attempts to influence the course of elections in Western countries and is on a business trip in Moscow. Now he is getting in touch with us. David, who did you interview?

DAVID GREEN, Host:Today my interlocutor is Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the TV channelRT... It is an English-language news channel known to be funded by the Russian government and considered by many to be a propaganda machine.

Recently, French President Emmanuel Macron criticized RT. He said that RT was spreading deceitful propaganda to help his opponent, far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Margarita Simonyan is considering suing Macron for libel. RT is simply trying to counter what Simonyan calls "mainstream media," she said.

MARGARITA SIMONYAN, Chief Editor of the TV ChannelRT: The French mainstream media went wild urging people to vote for Macron. I can give you hundreds of examples. But for some reason no one calls them propaganda. And they call us.

Thus, RT's function, according to Simonyan, is to resist the mainstream. She believes that the mainstream media misrepresents Russia and that this must be fought. And some even say that she receives orders directly from the Kremlin.

Let me touch on another topic that your critics often bring up. They say that you have a direct telephone line in your office with a person who works for Vladimir Putin, and that on this phone you discuss issues of editorial policy. Do you really have such a phone in your office?

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: Yes, you see this phone, and I use it when I need to discuss something over a secure line.

That is, this is the same secure line for communication with the Kremlin.

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: Today, for example, I spoke on this line with the Central Bank. I needed to discuss some financial issues that it is better not to talk about on an open line.

And do you talk along this line with people who work for Putin?

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: (Laughs.) You see, you don't want to hear the answer!

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: No, you don't want to. You want to get a ready-made phrase from me that you can use in your show. I am also a journalist, I understand that. In fact, everyone who works in the Russian government and in the presidential administration is working for Vladimir Putin to one degree or another. And yes, I communicate on this phone with a variety of people.

Okay, so let me phrase the question differently. Do you discuss issues of editorial policy or any specific stories with those close to Vladimir Putin?

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: We never discuss issues of editorial policy with people close to Vladimir Putin, unless we consider myself a person close to Vladimir Putin. In fact, many people think so.

Do you think so too?

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: Me not.

Do you have any personal relationship with him? Maybe you are friends with him?

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: (Laughs.) No, we are not friends. Do we know each other. I met him when I was 20-21 years old. Just as you have a certain pool of journalists in the White House, we also have our own Kremlin pool. And I used to work as a correspondent in the Kremlin pool. Therefore, we could, for example, say hello when we meet. But I cannot, for example, take and call him, if you ask about it.

Do you have any opinion about him as president and about the policies he is pursuing?

MARGARITA SIMONIAN:I have a million opinions about him as president and about the policies he is pursuing. It is important to understand why the Russians like Putin so much - and this is precisely what the West and the mainstream media, it seems to me, do not understand. And they do not understand this because they did not live here in the 90s.

In my hometown at that time, among my friends there was probably not a single person who would like to stay and live in Russia. Can you imagine? All my acquaintances wanted to leave because we considered our country to be something terrible. It seemed to us that the country was falling apart and that everything would only get worse. The country was at war. With the coming of Putin, it ended. We have seen all this in our own life. The people around, our family, our acquaintances - for a start, they stopped starving. Then my sister and I stopped having only one pair of shoes for two. That is, you know, me, my sister and also my mother - we had one pair of normal shoes for three of us, and we wore it in turn.(Laughs.) Now, it stopped. It was like a fairy tale.

You know, you are now telling how your life has improved ...

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: Not only mine! All our friends also began to live better. I want to emphasize this especially. It will be very difficult to find at least one person who, under Putin, began to live worse than he lived before Putin.

You know, I just thought about the United States. The best pages in the history of American journalism are when journalists went against the authorities and conducted some kind of investigation. For example, during the scandal with Bill Clinton. Or, let's say, in the situation with the resignation of Richard Nixon. Now, if now there was some kind of investigation of this kind, which could potentially lead to the resignation of Vladimir Putin, would you begin such an investigation to the end?

MARGARITA SIMONIAN:If I saw and was sure that Putin's actions are harmful to my country and my people and this needs to be put to an end, I would have done it without any hesitation.

I think you yourself understand that both you personally and the RT channel outside your country are perceived somewhat differently.

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: Understand. But what can you do if the mainstream media is constantly lying about us over and over again? So there was such an image. Why are they doing that? I dont know. You explain to me why.

Thank you for talking.

MARGARITA SIMONIAN: Thanks.

source NPR USA North America tags

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Margarita Simonyan is a Russian journalist, editor-in-chief of the Russia Today TV channel, the international news agency Rossiya Segodnya and the Sputnik news agency.

Having started her career as an ordinary correspondent for a provincial television studio, she managed to take one of the leading places in Russian television journalism. Today Simonyan is among the top 100 most influential women in the world according to Forbes.

Childhood and youth

Margarita Simonyan was born on April 6, 1980 in the Russian city of Krasnodar. The girl, together with her sister Alice, grew up in a poor family. Father Simon, an Armenian by nationality, earned a living by fixing refrigerators, and mother Zinaida sold flowers in the market.

As the journalist later wrote from the pages of LJ and Instagram, the girls lived with their parents in an old house on Gogol Street, where rats were constantly running, there was no gas, running water or sewerage. The difficult living conditions only strengthened the girl's desire to escape from poverty and achieve comfortable living conditions. When Margarita was about 10 years old, the Simonyan family was allocated an apartment in a new microdistrict of the city.

In kindergarten, the future journalist quickly learned to read, so their teacher often left Rita with a book to entertain other children: the girl read fairy tales aloud. Later Simonyan went to a Krasnodar school specializing in the study of foreign languages, where she studied with only A's, went to the Olympiads. In the 9th grade, Simonyan had a chance to go to study abroad on an exchange program. The girl ended up in the United States: she lived in a family, which she still treats with warmth and gratitude, and studied in the 12th grade of the school. At one time she wanted to stay and live in a distant country, but love for her homeland forced her to return to Russia.

Margarita Simonyan in her youth

After graduating from school with a gold medal, Margarita entered the Kuban state University at the Faculty of Journalism. The girl also studied at the new "School of Theater Arts" under the guidance of a Russian TV presenter and journalist in Moscow.

Journalism and career

In 1999, Simonyan began working as a correspondent for the Krasnodar television and radio channel. She managed to get this work thanks to a collection of poems of her own composition, which Margarita published a year earlier. The TV channel decided to shoot a story about a talented girl. Talking to the film crew, Simonyan mentioned that she wanted to work as a journalist, and she was offered an internship on the TV channel. The choice of the first job determined Margarita's future professional biography.

Margarita Simonyan has been working in television for a long time

At the age of 19, the girl went to shoot a story in Chechnya. A miniature figure (her height was 160 cm) did not prevent her from showing masculinity and strength of character. Margarita told her parents that she was going to the war zone only upon her return, after 10 days. A series of reports in one of the hot spots of the world brought fame to Margarita Simonyan and a number of journalistic awards: "For Professional Courage", the first prize of the All-Russian competition of regional TV and radio companies and the Russian Order of Friendship.

In 2000, Simonyan became editor-in-chief of the Krasnodar TV channel, and a year later - a correspondent for the All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company in Rostov-on-Don. She continued her career as a military journalist, having visited Abkhazia, covering the clash of militants with the state army in the Kodori Gorge.

In 2002, Margarita Simonyan was invited to Moscow as a correspondent for the Vesti TV program. The journalist accompanied the President of Russia, being among the presidential pool of journalists. In September 2004, she traveled to Beslan to cover the events of the hostage-taking at the school. The tragedy influenced Margarita's worldview and views; in an interview, she advises young journalists not to start a career as war correspondents.

In 2005, the Russia Today TV channel was created, which broadcasted in English and was designed to reflect Russia's position on international events. Margarita Simonyan was appointed editor-in-chief of the Russia Today TV channel.

The founders of RIA Novosti argued the appointment of such a young person to such a position by the position that the project should be managed by a person who had not seen Soviet news, who had his own ideas about how to show Russian news to foreign viewers. Later, Margarita also began to oversee the Arabic and Spanish versions of the channel.

In 2011, the girl became a TV presenter of the news project "What's going on?" on the REN-TV channel. During the program, she discussed the most significant events of the week, which, for whatever reason, were not adequately covered on federal channels. Margarita talked with direct participants in the events and spectators.

In 2013, Simonyan became the TV presenter of the political show "Iron Ladies" on the NTV channel. Together with her colleague on the air, the journalist asked not always convenient, but relevant questions to well-known politicians and businessmen. In the same year, the channel's management decided to close the show.

At the end of 2013, Margarita Simonyan was appointed editor-in-chief of the Russia Segodnya international news agency.

From early childhood, Margarita dreamed of becoming a writer and engaging in print journalism. At the age of 18 she published a collection of her own poems. In 2010 she published the book "To Moscow". Due to her active journalism and editorial activities, the writing of the book took about 10 years. This novel tells about the generation of the 90s and hard fates, unfulfilled dreams. In 2011, thanks to her novel, Simonyan won the prize for the best book by a journalist.

In 2012, on the pages of the Russian Pioneer magazine, Margarita published an excerpt from her new story, The Train. The girl also writes culinary articles for this magazine.

Personal life

Little is known about Simonyan's personal life. In a 2012 interview, she mentioned that she has been in a civil marriage with journalist Andrei Blagodyrenko for 6 years. The woman argued that the official marriage and wedding preparations did not attract her at all, she was quite satisfied with this state of affairs.

Back in an interview in 2012, Simonyan said that together with family members she was opening the Zharko! at a resort in Sochi. At the same time, the girl was increasingly noticed in the company of a famous director and actor, who at that time was still officially married to.

According to information that later appeared in the article "Komsomolskaya Pravda", the romance between the journalist and the director began on the initiative of Tigran. He wrote a message to the girl on the social network Facebook , where he expressed support to Margarita: at that time, a persecution was conducted against her on the radio. Initially, Simonyan did not pay attention to the letter, since she did not believe that the famous director would be interested in her person. But the correspondence ended with a joint dinner at a restaurant. Soon, a relationship began between the journalist and the cinematographer, which grew into a civil marriage.

In September 2014, Margarita had a son, Bagrat. At the same time, on the page of one of the social networks, Keosayan confirmed that he had become a father. Later it turned out that this is the second child of the couple - in August 2013, Margarita gave birth to her husband's daughter Maryana. As the journalist said in an interview, she recalls with gratitude the time when she was pregnant. Each time, Margarita experienced a surge of strength and never suffered from toxicosis, despite the fact that she survived the threat of miscarriage with Maryana.

Pregnant Margarita Simonyan

Simonyan is committed to early childhood education. In a playful way, teachers-linguists study with Maryana and Bagrat, therefore, already at such an early age, children speak five languages \u200b\u200b- Russian, Armenian, English, French and Chinese.

Interestingly, friendly relations have been established between Tigran Keosayan's ex-wife, Alena Khmelnitskaya and Margarita Simonyan. The women became best friends, and even together with the director they created a project - the psychological thriller "Actress". In the creation of the film, which was successfully broadcast on the NTV channel, Margarita participated as a screenwriter.

Margarita Simonyan now

Margarita supports the policy of the existing political system in Russia. In 2018, she became a confidant of Vladimir Putin during the presidential campaign. At the same time, the journalist published a post in Telegram dedicated to her friend's renunciation of US citizenship. According to the editor-in-chief of RT, the girl supported the opposition and in 2013 immigrated to the United States, but after 4 years she decided to regain her Russian citizenship. The TV journalist duplicated the information in

RT (formerly Russia Today - Russia Today) is the first Russian news channel to broadcast 24/7 in English.

Russia Today Is the only TV channel in Russia that broadcasts in different languages. The target audience- foreigners living in the Russian Federation or those who are interested in Russia. In the words of the first editor-in-chief of the TV channel Margarita Simonyan, the purpose of creating RT was show the world the real state image of Russia, broadcast world news from a Russian point of view.

The level of Western media is low, the professionalism of journalists is questioned, they do not understand Russia, are full of prejudices and are hostile. During the war in South Ossetia, Western news channels, using fake snippets, spread false news that were directed against Russia.

Such facts helped RT to realize the need to provide Western media and viewers with authentic information and television pictures. To this end, Russia Today opened a free website on the Internet with high-quality video clips, which foreign media can download and use for free. Currently, more than 2000 media outlets from 155 countries have become users of this resource, including the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) and Fox Internet TV.

Russia Today is a non-profit structure, all expenses, which are approximately $ 60 million a year, are covered by the State Duma of the Russian Federation

Owner Autonomous non-profit organization "TV-Novosti"

Leaders Alexey Nikolov (CEO), Margarita Simonyan (editor-in-chief)

Structure

The Russia Today TV channel was created on the basis of the state-owned company RIA Novosti. About $ 30 million was spent on the launch of the project, mainly from budget funds. There is a TV channel subsidized from the budget. Russia Today TV channel is a news channel focused on international broadcasting. Broadcasts are conducted around the clock in English. The Arabic edition was launched, thanks to which broadcasting began in this language. The broadcasting of the Russia Today TV channel covers more than 100 countries of the world. The TV company employs 600 professionals. The staff includes experienced Russian and foreign journalists, news editors and young professionals. Russia Today works with 40 documentary film companies. News is constantly coming from correspondents in all Russian regions. The channel has offices in London, Paris, Jerusalem, Washington and Cairo.

The basis of the broadcasting of the information TV channel Russia Today is made up of hourly news blocks about what happened in Russia and the world, about business, culture, sports and science. About 70% of the broadcast volume is international information. In addition to news, including business and sports, Russia Today's broadcasting network includes documentaries and programs about culture.

Programs

News is the main news program. Comes out every half hour.

Business - economic news.

Sport - sports news.

Weather - weather forecast.

Interview - exclusive interviews. Presenter - Sofiko Shevardnadze.

CrossTalk is a discussion about the main event of the day. Host - Peter Lavelle. One of the blocks of the program is led by Elena Hanga.

Keiser Report is a weekly program about economics. Host - Max Kaiser.

Moscow Out is a program that tells about unusual places and phenomena in Moscow.

Prime Time Russia is an evening show about the main events in Russia. Leading - Anna Fedorova and Neil O "Harvey.

Russia Close-Up (English Russia close-up) - reports and live broadcasts from various cities and regions of Russia.

Spotlight is a program in which the presenter Alexander Gurnov, together with a guest, talks about the most noticeable event or phenomenon of recent times.

Technology Update is a monthly program about the most interesting discoveries and scientific achievements.

The Alyona Show is a talk show about major events in America. Leading - Alena Minkovskaya.

XL Reports is an investigative and reporting program.

TV channel "RUSSIAN WORLD".

"Russian world" - an international round-the-clock Russian-language channel broadcasting from Moscow to the United States. It is aimed at the Russian-speaking population of the United States (over 10 million people) and those Americans who are interested in the culture, history and life of Russia.

Goals and objectives of the Internet TV channel "Russian World":

· Distribution and popularization of the Russian language and culture in the world;

· Preservation of ties by compatriots with the homeland of compatriots;

· Maintaining a sense of belonging to Russia and the Russian world among foreign compatriots;

· Transfer of Russian cultural traditions to future generations and people of other cultures who are interested in Russia.

Programs

· "Dialogue with America" \u200b\u200b- a program that is the hallmark of the channel. It is broadcasted daily on weekdays. The guests of the program were famous presenters, musicians, politicians (since 2003)

· "To America with love!"

· "News"

· "News of the Commonwealth"

· "Morning with Lelya Turubara"

· "Little politics"

Founders and Shareholders

Russian television and radio broadcasting network (RTRS)

Federal State Institution Russian State Broadcasting Company "Voice of Russia" (FGU RGRK "Voice of Russia") is a state radio station that has been broadcasting to foreign countries since October 29, 1929.

Radio station tasks - to acquaint the world community with the life of Russia, its point of view on events in the world, to conduct a dialogue with compatriots abroad; to contribute to the popularization of Russian culture and the Russian language.

December 22, 1993 by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 2258 "On the establishment of the holding company" Russian State Television and Radio Engineering Center "Efir" and the Russian State Radio Broadcasting Company "Voice of Russia" on the basis of the Creative Association "International Moscow Radio" was created by the Russian State Broadcasting Company "Voice of Russia" ...

On January 12, 1996, by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 12 “On the Russian State Radio Broadcasting Company“ Voice of Russia ””, the Russian State Radio Broadcasting Company “Voice of Russia” was transferred to the direct management of the Federal Television and Radio Broadcasting Service of the Russian Federation. In 1998 it became a part of the All-Russian State TV and Radio Company.

Much has changed in 14 years. Internet broadcasting was added to the airwaves in 1996, the Russian Service appeared, new headings were opened: “The logic of power”, “World politics”, “About cinema and not only”. On November 18, 2009 a new program “Space Environment” went on the air. The Voice of Russia gains new listeners.

Monitoring service. New series of newsletters, dozens of fact sheets and reviews.

“Voice of Russia” took the first steps in satellite and digital broadcasting, turned into a modern multimedia mass media, which is in continuous contact with listeners in different regions of the world.

The Voice of Russia is a member of the National Association of Broadcasters (NAT), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the International Committee for Digital Radio Broadcasting (DRM), a member of the International Conference of Audience Research Services of International Broadcasters (CIBAR).

Public organizations that form a positive image of the country abroad. ALL-UNION SOCIETY OF CULTURAL RELATIONS WITH ABROAD (VOKS) (then - SSOD-UNION OF SOVIET SOCIETIES OF FRIENDSHIP)

The revolution and the end of the civil war put before Soviet Russia the question of getting out of the international isolation that had formed as a result of the Western governments' rejection of the country's new foreign policy and ideological course.

During the 20-30s. The USSR managed to overcome diplomatic isolation. In 1924, diplomatic relations were established with Great Britain, Italy, Austria, Greece, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, France, China, Mexico.

In the mid-1930s, with the establishment of diplomatic relations with the United States and entry into the League of Nations, the Soviet Union managed to become a full-fledged subject of international relations.

It was during this difficult period in April 1925 that a public organization was created, uniting in its ranks figures of Soviet science, literature, art, public education and sports, namely All-Union Society for Cultural Communication... The founders were the People's Commissariat of the USSR, the USSR Academy of Sciences, the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions, the RSFSR People's Commissariat of Education, the Academy of Arts, the Museum of the Revolution, the All-Union Book Chamber and other organizations, as well as prominent representatives of science and culture.

Officially in tasks of the All-Union Society of Cultural Relations with abroad included familiarizing the public of the USSR with the cultural achievements of foreign countries and popularizing the culture of the peoples of the Soviet Union abroad, which contributed to the development and strengthening of friendship and mutual understanding between the peoples of the USSR and other countries.

To this end, VOKS closely cooperated with foreign societies for friendship and cultural ties with the USSR. Thus, for the first time in history, an organization was created that was supposed to deal with issues of cultural relations with foreign countries and coordinate this work on a national scale.

The creation of VOKS was welcomed by many prominent representatives of the foreign public. Among them were Albert Einstein, Marie Curie, Henri Barbusse, Rabindranath Tagore, Theodore Dreiser, Bernard Shaw, Herbert Wells, who later became active partners of the new organization.

At the invitation of VOKS, delegations from foreign societies, as well as prominent figures of science and culture, came to the USSR, in turn, VOKS sent delegations and representatives of Soviet science and culture to foreign countries to participate in congresses and conferences; theater groups, musical and choreographic ensembles; organized the exchange of literature and museum exhibits, etc.

The society produced its own "VOKS Bulletin", which was published in English, French and German.

The second world War slowed down cultural and scientific contacts between countries. At the same time, during the war years, VOKS played a significant role in uniting prominent figures of world culture in the fight against fascism. It was during the Second World War that new societies of friends of the USSR began to be created with the aim of supporting the Soviet people in their struggle against fascism.

In 1941, they appeared in Lebanon, Syria, New Zealand, Australia, Chile, India.

In 1942, the Friends of the Fighting Soviet Union was created in Mexico. Through VOKS, the USSR received medicines, equipment for hospitals, and other assistance purchased at the expense of a sympathetic foreign public

After the war, the authority of the USSR was so great that new organizations were created in countries that were spared by the war. So in 1945 there appeared the society "Switzerland - USSR", "Madagascar - Soviet Union" and many others.

By 1957, national societies for friendship with the USSR were already operating in 47 countries. On the initiative of VOKS and a number of other public organizations, a counter process was going on in the Soviet Union. By the end of the 50s, societies of Soviet-Chinese, Soviet-Czechoslovak, Soviet-German, Soviet-Polish friendship, a society of Soviet-Indian cultural ties, "USSR-Finland" and "USSR-Italy" were created.

VOKS Board Chairmen:

Kameneva Olga Davydovna (1925-1929)

Petrov Fedor Nikolaevich (1929-1933)

Arosev Alexander Yakovlevich (1934-1937)

Kemenov Vladimir Semenovich (1940-1948)

Denisov Andrey Ivanovich (1948-1957)

Popova Nina Vasilievna (1957-1958)

In 1958, numerous friendship societies were merged into Union of Soviet Friendship Societies (USDS), which became the assignee of VOKS. The USSOD became a massive voluntary association of Soviet public organizations, aiming to develop and strengthen friendship and cultural cooperation between the peoples of the Soviet Union and foreign states. Its supreme governing body was the All-Union Conference, three sessions of which were held in 1958, 1967 and 1974. The governing body between conferences was the Council, the executive body was the Presidium.

The deepening and expansion of friendly contacts between the Soviet and foreign public was implemented in various forms:

Exchange of various kinds of literature

Experience in scientific and cultural achievements

Exchange of delegations and specialized tourist groups

Mass friendly correspondence of collectives and individuals

Friendship societies united 25 thousand enterprises, collective farms, state farms, educational institutions, scientific and cultural institutions. More than 50 million people took part in the work of the USSF. Annually, republican societies alone held about 25 thousand events dedicated to foreign countries, their history, science, art, anniversaries and memorable dates, as well as solidarity with the peoples of Indochina, the Middle East, Africa, Chile. About 2,000 events were held annually in the Moscow House of Friendship.

The USSOD maintained contacts with 7.5 thousand organizations, public figures and representatives of science and culture from 134 countries. Around the world there were 108 public associations, institutes of friendship with the USSR. Many friendship societies were awarded the Orders of Friendship of Peoples, orders of socialist countries, including the Order of Georgiy Dimitrov (Bulgaria), the Order of Peace and Friendship (Hungary), the Order of the Big Star of Friendship of Peoples (GDR), the Order of Victorious February (Czechoslovakia), etc. ...

Numerous printed editions of the USSF were published regularly. For example, a newspaper "Moscow News"was published in English, French, Arabic and Spanish with a one-time circulation of up to 600 thousand copies. Monthly magazine "Culture and Life" - in English, French, Spanish and German with a single circulation of 90 thousand copies.

In the 60s and 80s, the material and financial base of the USSF was significantly strengthened. Since the mid-60s, the active formation of a network of cultural centers of our country abroad began - before that, work with the foreign community was carried out mainly through friendship societies.

So, in the period from 1959 to 1975, 21 cultural centers were opened, including in Poland, Morocco, Indonesia, India, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria and other countries. In 1975-1986, 17 more centers were opened, including countries such as Austria, Syria, Nepal, Peru, Cambodia, East Germany, Argentina.

Chairmen of the Presidium of the USSF:

Popova Nina Vasilievna (1957-1975)

Kruglova Zinaida Mikhailovna (1975-1987)

Tereshkova Valentina Vladimirovna (1987-1992)

Russian Association for International Cooperation (RAMS)

The USSOD and the Soviet friendship societies have undergone significant transformations. The continuation of the USSF activities for the development of public relations was the International Union of Public Associations "Russian Association for International Cooperation (RAMS)established in 1992

Goal: coordination of the work of Russian non-state structures in the field of public diplomacy.

Russian Center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation (Roszarubezhtsentr)

In 1994, on the basis of the USSD, a new structure was created - Russian Center for International Scientific and Cultural Cooperation under the Government Russian Federation (Roszarubezhtsentr)... It received the status of a state body under the Government of the Russian Federation.

At the same time, cardinal internal political changes in the country have seriously affected the structure of the department. In connection with the deep economic crisis, financing has been drastically reduced. In a number of countries, the activities of the Russian Centers for Science and Culture (RCSC) were terminated, and Russia's presence abroad was reduced. Nevertheless, Roszarubezhtsentr continued to implement a number of effective and demanded projects. The most effective program of Roszarubezhcenter was the Russian language courses based on the RCSC, which did not stop working after the collapse of the USSR.

Much attention began to be paid to maintaining interest in the Russian language abroad. For a long time, Roszarubezhtsentr and its numerous representative offices have been the only really operating mechanism for teaching the Russian language abroad.

On February 6, 2002, President Vladimir Putin signed a decree "On the Russian Center for International, Scientific and Cultural Cooperation under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation."

Purpose of the decree: strengthening the coordinating role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in pursuing a single state foreign policy line, as well as developing economic, scientific and cultural cooperation between Russia and other countries. Thus, Roszarubezhtsentr under the Government came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Leaders:

Tereshkova Valentina Vladimirovna (1992-2004)

Mitrofanova Eleonora Valentinovna (2004-2008)

Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo)

By the Decree of President Dmitry A. Medvedev of September 6, 2008 No. 1315 of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States, Compatriots Living Abroad and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo). When the Agency was created, its Head was appointed F.M. Mukhametshin.

On March 5, 2012 the President of the Russian Federation D.A. Medvedev appointed the Head of Rossotrudnichestvo Konstantin Iosifovich Kosachev.

Rossotrudnichestvo is intended to become an effective tool for the development of international cooperation in the humanitarian sphere.

In its work, the Federal Agency, subordinate to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, seeks to make the most of the experience of its predecessors. In a relatively short period of time, the Agency managed to formulate a development strategy, develop a regulatory framework, and establish strong partnerships with Russian ministries, departments and public organizations.

The main task of Rossotrudnichestvo: activation of Russian policy in the cultural and humanitarian sphere, both in the post-Soviet space and in the far abroad.

Today the Agency has a really operating system for supporting the Russian language abroad, promoting Russian educational services, expanding cooperation between educational institutions of partner countries, as well as working with graduates of Russian universities.

The Agency, together with the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation, developed a draft Concept of the Federal Target Program "Russian Language" for 2011-2015, which was approved by the Scientific Coordination Council under the Ministry of Education and Science.

Priority area of \u200b\u200bwork of Rossotrudnichestvo is interaction within the CIS in the field of innovative cooperation.

In this area, the Federal Agency is implementing a number of unique projects. For example, together with the Higher School of Economics, an Interstate Target Program for Innovative Cooperation of the CIS Member States for the period up to 2020 has been developed. On October 18, 2011, the Council of CIS Heads of Government adopted the Interstate Program of Innovative Cooperation.

Unlike traditional diplomacy, which works with the authorities of a foreign state, public diplomacy deals with people. Russian centers of science and culture around the world are constantly open to everyone, attracting citizens to various cultural, scientific and educational events.

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