17 December 2020
December 17th, the third Russian-Polish and Polonist conference “Russia - Poland. Coincidentia oppositorum" took place.
The conference was held in a situational analysis format, partly in person, partly online, and brought together Russian experts on Eastern European and Polish issues, researchers from think tanks and universities, Polish Studies experts, diplomats, statesmen and public figures.
MGIMO’s Vice-Rector A.Malgin, the Director of the Russian-Polish Foundation for Dialogue and Understanding A.Golubova attended the opening session, and were joined remotely by the Director of the Polish-Russian Centre for Dialogue and Understanding E.Wyciszkiewicz and the Deputy Director of the Polish-Russian Center for Dialogue and Understanding L.Adamski.
The conference comprised four thematic parts. Discussions were focused on a comparative analysis of the approaches of Russia and Poland towards the countries of Eastern Europe, the specifics of the internal political development of Russia and Poland and its influence on foreign policy, economic growth under political paternalism (the experience of Russia and Poland) and the lessons of the pandemic for both countries.
Participating in the meeting on the Russian side were the corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, President of the Russian State Humanitarian University E.Pivovar, the Rector of the Russian State Humanitarian University A.Bezborodov, the Director of the Institute of World History of the Russian Academy of Sciences M.Lipkin, the Deputy Director of the Institute of Europe of the Russian Academy of Sciences O.Butorina, the Leading Researcher at the Center for Eastern European Studies of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences I.Sinitsyna, the Head of Department at the Faculty of History of Moscow State University G.Matveev and the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of the website valdaiclub.com A.Bespalov.
The second session was moderated by V.Vorotnikov, Senior Researcher at MGIMO’s Center for European Studies. MGIMO researchers and faculty members actively participated in the different panels, including the Deputy Dean of the School of International Relations I.Bolgova, the Leading Researcher at the Center for Post-Soviet Studies Y.Nikitina and the Professor of the Department of International Relations and Foreign Policy of Russia E.Kozhokin.
Among the participants on the Polish side were the Ambassador, Researcher at the Institute of International Relations at Warsaw University, 1991 graduate of the School of International Relations T.Lukaszuk, the Ambassador, President of the Polish-Arab Initiative Foundation, 1971 graduate of the School of International Relations K.Plominsky, the Deputy Chairman of the Board of Directors Association for Polish-Russian Cooperation P.Spytek and others.
During the conference, a presentation of the textbook "History and Culture of Poland" by G.Lesnaya, S.Antonovsky, and V.Vorotnikov took place. The textbook offers a brief but informative overview of the history and culture of Poland, offering an insight into the traditions and customs of the Polish people.
All conference participants could visit in the new building of the University an exposition of books on the history, politics and economics of Eastern European countries.
The event was organized by the MGIMO Alumni Association.
