A Russian-Mongolian youth meeting took place in Irkutsk

On December 21, a Russian-Mongolian youth meeting started in Irkutsk, organized by the Russian Ministry of Education and Science and RTU MIREA in partnership with the Irkutsk State Transport University.

The meeting is held with the aim of intensifying Russian-Mongolian youth cooperation, as well as developing direct contacts between universities, youth public organizations of the two countries.

30 delegates took part in the meeting: students, representatives of youth public organizations, youth workers from Russia and Mongolia.

The participants were welcomed by Olga Negrova, Deputy Director of the Department of State Youth Policy and Educational Activities of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. She noted that the strengthening of friendly ties and the further intensification of humanitarian cooperation with Mongolia are an important area of Russian foreign policy, and the development of youth relations is an integral part of this cooperation.

According to Olga Negrova, an interdepartmental program of cooperation between the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia and the Ministry of Education and Science of Mongolia in higher education and science for 2022-2024 has recently been signed which will contribute to the development of direct ties between scientific organizations and universities of the two countries, joint expeditions, research projects and competitions.

Zhigmed Enkhzhargal, Consul General of Mongolia in Irkutsk, called the Russian-Mongolian youth meeting a vivid example of fruitful cooperation between Ulaanbaatar and Moscow. According to the Consul, the meeting determines the prospects for the interaction between the young people in the near future.

“I have no doubt that this meeting will become a new platform for getting to know each other, understanding each other, and expressing ourselves,” the diplomat said.

In the course of two days, the participants will exchange experiences and develop ideas for joint projects and expeditions on the following topics:

“Young scientists and opportunities for joint scientific research”;

“Youth vector of interregional and cross-border cooperation”;

“Youth exchanges in the field of culture”.

Grigory Petushkov, Vice-Rector of RTU MIREA, Chairman of the National Council of Youth and Children’s Associations of Russia, greeted the participants of the meeting. He noted that the friendship between the peoples of our countries has a long history. Our great grandfathers and grandfathers fought shoulder to shoulder on the fronts of the Second World War, the Mongolian people provided invaluable assistance to the Soviet Union during the difficult years of the Great Patriotic War.

According to him, youth cooperation has a great potential for the development and strengthening of bilateral ties in the context of the implementation of the Treaty on Friendly Relations and Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Russia and Mongolia dated September 3, 2019. And all these years, RTU MIREA, with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, together with the National Council of Youth and Children’s Associations of Russia, has been developing Russian-Mongolian youth cooperation.

Grigory Petushkov recalled that the pilot youth meetings dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Moscow and Ulaanbaatar, with the participation of representatives of youth and student associations, universities, young professionals from both countries, had to be held online due to the pandemic.

“Today’s face-to-face meeting is of particular importance, as it provides opportunities for direct dialogue and the establishment of friendly ties,” Grigory Petushkov emphasized.

Andrey Khomenko, President of the Irkutsk State Transport University, Chairman of the Council of Rectors of the Irkutsk Region, spoke about the close contacts of universities in the region with colleagues from Mongolia, and the interaction of the academic community. Even during the pandemic, meetings and forums of young scientists were not interrupted. The richest baggage of cooperation will allow, according to him, to quickly restore all scientific and humanitarian ties.

“I am sure that you, young people, will raise the banner of the older generation and will use and increase their experience,” Andrei Khomenko summed up.

The opening ceremony of the meeting was also attended by Bolormaa Zhanchivdorj, Director of the Student Administration of the Department of Education of the Executive Agency of the Government of Mongolia, Yulia Malanina, Leading Expert of the Representation of the Russian Foreign Ministry in Irkutsk, Irina Avdeeva, Deputy Minister for Youth Policy of the Irkutsk Region, and Olga Khairulina, Head of the Vocational Education Department of the Ministry of Education of the Irkutsk Region, and Yuri Trofimov, Rector of the Irkutsk State Transport University.

The next meeting is planned for the year of 2023 in Mongolia.