Senior Researcher at the SIKHA foundation, Nino Skvortsova, participated in the regional youth conference of Russian compatriots from CIS countries titled “Shaping the Future Together: Youth Initiatives in the CIS”, where she delivered a presentation on “Russia and Georgia: Realities and Prospects of Cultural and Humanitarian Relations.”
Key points of the presentation included:
- At this stage, the youth track of public diplomacy is limited due to a number of objectives, including systemic, factors;
- The Russian side needs to clearly articulate its specific interests and expectations from such engagement, along with a more structured state strategy toward the South Caucasus — not necessarily doctrinal, but at least one that would be perceived, if not positively, then as something Georgia would be willing to hear;
- A problem also lies in the underdeveloped Georgian public sphere, with which communication theoretically needs to be established;
- The lack of diplomatic relations complicates many aspects;
- It is time to abandon models such as “soft power” and “people’s diplomacy” and instead focus on strategic communication and realistic opportunities.
The presentation was positively received and generated significant interest among the conference participants.
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