Russia's minister of culture: globalisation is a threat to the Slavonic world as well

Russia's minister of culture Mikhail Shvydkoi expressed hope that a cultural association of Slavonic peoples would be set up this year. In the minister's words, the need to establish a Slavonic public organisation is caused by the globalisation processes, "which, along with positive factors, carry a threat to any culture, especially to the cultures of ethnic minorities." Shvydkoi said this in Novosibirsk, where an international conference called "The Slavonic World: Its Community and Diversity" opened Thursday. The conference is devoted to Day of the Slavonic Alphabet and Culture which is marked in Russia on May 24th.

"When discussing these problems, I and my colleagues from Slavonic countries come to the conclusion: it is necessary to make an effort in order to preserve the Slavonic world, primarily its community and diversity, in the present-day conditions," Russia's culture minister said.

In his words, alongside Russia, the main initiators of the establishment of a Slav cultural association are Slovakia and Croatia. The peoples of these countries are experiencing already now the negative consequences of the overall spread of mass culture, Shvydkoi said.