More than 1,500 Chileans visited the exposition "200th anniversary of the Russian Foreign Ministry" in Santiago

More than 1,500 Chileans have visited the two-week exposition "The 200th anniversary of the Russian Foreign Ministry," which has been on display since November 7 in the Russian center of science and culture in Chile's capital Santiago. Among visitors were representatives of the Chilean Foreign Ministry and diplomatic mission, the local authorities and intellectuals, graduates of Russian and Soviet universities, and students of international relations departments of the capital's universities.

A RIA Novosti correspondent reports that the exposition displayed more than 130 archival documents and photos that tell about outstanding Russian diplomats. Among them were famous Russian writers of the XIX century - Alexander Pushkin, Denis Fonvisin, Alexander Griboyedov, Fyodor Tyutchev, Leo Tolstoi and others.

A separate stand was devoted to the history of Russian-Chilean relations. As part of the exposition, lectures on the history of the Russian diplomacy were read and round tables on the issue were held.

The video hall of the cultural centre was showing Russian documentaries and feature films, including "Chicherin", Teheran 43," "Parity," "TASS is authorized to state..." and the "Formula of Power" on the visit of Chilean President Lagos Ricardo to Russia on October 2nd-6th.

Manuel Montt Balmaceda, Head of the Diego Portales University, said at the closing ceremony that Russia and its diplomats had always played an important role in turning-points of old and new world history. He believes that Russia, as a great power with its many-century-old culture and diplomacy, influenced and will influence world culture and processes.