Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s video address to participants in the 3rd International Forum of Ministers of Education, Shaping the Future, Moscow, June 11, 2025

I extend my warmest greetings to the organisers, participants and guests of the 3rd International Forum of Ministers of Education, Shaping the Future.

Your annual meetings, held with the Russian Foreign Ministry’s support as part of the Decade of Science and Technology declared by President Vladimir Putin, provide an excellent opportunity for all interested parties to discuss current international cooperation in the field of education and enlightenment. This year, the hospitable capital of Tatarstan is once again hosting representatives of relevant ministries and agencies from the countries of the Global South and East that display a constructive attitude towards Russia.

Today’s forum is taking place during the year when we mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War and World War II. Teachers who continued to work in wartime years, admirably doing their duty in the most difficult conditions, have made their valuable contribution to the Victory, also setting an example of personal fortitude and courage, and projecting confidence in the inevitable triumph of good over evil.

Russia has always placed special emphasis on fostering and educating the younger generations. This year, President Vladimir Putin established National Mentor Day for good reason. This day will be observed on March 2, which is the birthday of Konstantin Ushinsky, the founder of Russian scientific pedagogy whose legacy includes numerous works on the role of mentors in shaping the younger generation’s worldview. One of his most profound quotes is: “Education appears modest, even mundane – yet it is among history’s grandest pursuits.”

Mutually respectful partnerships of educators, based on the recognition of the cultural and civilisational diversity of the world and the multiplicity of development models, are instrumental in fostering the correct perception of the emerging multipolar international system. It is our conviction that a multipolar world best meets the fair needs of the global majority and aligns with the current stage of global development. Russia has consistently advocated wider international cooperation in education. We are ready to share our success stories and best practices in teacher training, integrating digital technology, applying innovations in education, developing a mentoring system and other fields. It goes without saying that we are invariably open to exploring, embracing and implementing the best foreign practices, provided we do so without compromising national traditions.

We will continue to consistently expand opportunities for studying Russian and receiving instruction in Russian abroad. Speaking Russian is key to getting an education in Russia, also by qualifying for the quotas for foreign citizens provided by the Government of the Russian Federation. In the near future, our country may also start offering grants to the best qualified foreign applicants.

I am confident that you will spend your time at the forum in a warm and friendly atmosphere, that your discussions will be fruitful and instrumental in deepening international humanitarian exchanges. I also hope that they will give rise to new promising initiatives aimed at deeper mutual understanding between peoples.

I wish you rewarding work and all the best.