We're Together: Russia Volunteerism Awards & Credentialing Ceremony

The sign behind Putin and the finalists says International Awards We’re Together. The woman on the far left in the red shirt is the award winner, Natalia Amineva. The short 7+ minute video of the ceremony found here, although in Russian conveys the spirit of the actions that led to the awards. The translation of Putin’s words that follows tells you what he said, but Natalia’s words of acceptance we don’t get to read. The ceremony is part of a much bigger presentation being held at Moscow’s VDNKh, the Russia International Exhibition and Forum that Putin also toured. I don’t think you’ll ever read a shorter speech by Putin:

Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, dear friends!

I'll start with the numbers. I was just informed, and it was unexpected for me: 39 thousand applications from 95 countries-this is a huge army of volunteers, which calls our country a country of volunteers. And this is true, because in our country, a quarter of the population – a quarter of our citizens, 25 percent of the country's citizens-unite in organizations, and there are more than a hundred thousand of them who work as volunteers and volunteers.

This is not accidental: after all, in the traditions and culture of the peoples of the Russian Federation, the sense of belonging, the desire to help those in need is always present, throughout the entire history of our country, and is passed down from generation to generation. And today is volunteering, volunteering, and we are meeting on the eve of Volunteer Day – I congratulate you on this…

(Applause.)

Today you work in almost all spheres of life in our society: health care, ecology, and education – what is not there! But, of course, I am now addressing first of all the Russian audience, and I would especially like to thank you for what you are doing to help our fighters who are on the front line of the fight for our country, for Russia. You help them directly on the front line, and their families in the rear, their mothers, fathers, their wives and their children-for this. And for us, this is one of the most important tasks today. I bow low to you. Thank you very much.

It's hard to be the best of the best, almost impossible. And, perhaps, the presentation of the prize itself, such as the "best volunteer of the year" nomination, is still a symbol to a certain extent, but nevertheless a well-deserved symbol. We are traditionally… I have been doing this for several years – I present this prize to the best volunteer of the year. I will do it with great pleasure. And I invite the winner to the stage.

<…> [Natalia’s words]

In congratulating the winners, I would like to address all those who gathered here, all those who received their prizes and were awarded for their achievements during the competition, and I would like to finish by saying what has just been said here. The contest is called #My Together – and as long as we are together, we are invincible!

As you read, 25+% of Russians work as volunteers in one of the many organizations. In other words, civic life and involvement is very high in Russia which is an indicator of the freedom its citizens enjoy. Unfortunately, there’s no video of Putin’s tour, but there is a series of photos, with this one standing out:

Putin provided a little more info about the contest in his opening remarks to the 21 newly arrived ambassadors of foreign states in the traditional ceremony where they present their credentials and Putin says a few words about the state of relations between Russia and the ambassador’s nation.

Alexander Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace. Imposing. The Throne Room behind the massive doors Putin’s lectern fronts is also stunning.

You’ll note the degree of tact Putin employs when greeting ambassadors whose nations are on the Unfriendly List. And in the photos, you’ll note few are wearing headphones for translating Putin’s Russian. And now Putin’s greetings and remarks:

Vladimir Putin: Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon.

I would like to ask you to understand that we had to postpone our solemn presentation of credentials a little. In the first half of the day, I had to take part in public events, including, first of all, visiting the exhibition at VDNKh. I recommend that you find a couple of hours of your time and go see it. And you will be able to use visual examples to see how Russia is developing, how it lives – the country in which you will work and live for several years.

First of all, I would like to congratulate you on the official start of your diplomatic activity in the Russian Federation. Times are not easy, but I would also like to draw your attention to the fact that at the exhibition I not only looked at our achievements, but also took part in awarding the leaders of the volunteer competition. Tomorrow we are celebrating Volunteer Day in Russia. So, representatives from 95 countries of the world took part in this competition, including those whose leadership restricts relations with the Russian Federation in one way or another. And some of them have achieved serious results in this competition. For example, a volunteer team from the Republic of Turkey won a competition in its category, support for low-income families – such a great joint work through people's diplomacy. I would very much like to see our relations develop properly not only through people's but also official diplomacy.

You are heading embassies in a very difficult period for international relations, when the crisis phenomena in global politics and economy are growing, and regional conflicts are escalating. Moreover, in the case of the long-standing Palestinian-Israeli confrontation, the situation, for all its tragedy, has acquired the features of a real humanitarian catastrophe.

The world is in a state of turbulence, undergoing a radical transformation. But the main trend is that the former unipolar system is being replaced by a new, more just, multipolar world order. I believe that this has already become absolutely obvious to everyone. Naturally, such a fundamental process is not without difficulties, but it is objective and, I want to emphasize, irreversible.

As for Russia, we have pursued an independent, consistent and principled foreign policy, are open to constructive partnership with all countries without exception, and do not accept block confrontation or any steps that run counter to the UN Charter. Our country has no biased or hostile intentions towards anyone. And of course, we expect that all international partners in their relations with us will adhere to the principles of equality and mutual consideration of interests.

No matter what anyone wants, our activity in world affairs will only increase. In the coming 2024, Russia will have to perform a number of important foreign policy functions. We were the first to preside over the expanded BRICS association. And we will do everything possible to help the new members of the association to integrate harmoniously into the work of this organization.

In general, we intend to do everything possible to promote the association's role in addressing topical issues on the global agenda, make efforts to strengthen comprehensive strategic partnership within the BRICS, and develop cooperation in the economic, financial and other spheres. We will seriously prepare for holding the BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024 in a new and broader format. By the way, BRICS sports games will also be organized in Kazan in the summer.

Next year, Russia will also assume the presidency of the Commonwealth of Independent States – which is our closest natural partner. And we aim to do everything possible to promote the development of diverse interaction between them. Of course, we will also actively develop integration processes in the Eurasian Economic Union and deepen cooperation within the framework of the Collective Security Treaty Organization.

We will pay special attention to working with our partners in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which has become an institutional pillar of Greater Eurasia after India, Pakistan and Iran joined the organization. I would like to emphasize that building cooperation within the framework of the Great Eurasian Partnership, which we initiated several years ago, is another of our main foreign policy projects.

And I repeat, Russia is ready to develop close partnership cooperation with all countries that respond to us in return. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, we will continue to contribute to the settlement of acute regional and global problems, and consistently advocate approaches to ensuring equal and indivisible security, and creating a fair system of international economic relations free from unfair competition, unilateral sanctions, and politically motivated restrictions.

And of course, we intend to vigorously expand contacts with foreign partners on the humanitarian and cultural tracks. By the way, we are planning to hold a World Youth Festival in Sochi very soon, in March, which will bring together young people from all continents. Representatives from more than 180 countries are expected to attend.

In addition, we are actively preparing for a kind of innovative – that's what we call them – innovative "Games of the Future" in Kazan, connecting classical and esports.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

Now, by tradition, a few words about our country's relations with each of the states you represent.

Russia and the Republic of Burundi have friendly relations and mutually beneficial cooperation. This was clearly confirmed by our meeting with the President of Burundi at the Russia – Africa summit in July this year, during which important agreements were reached on further deepening cooperation.

I will mention, in particular, that the Russian side provides specific assistance to the Republic in developing the national health system. So, in October, a Center for the Study of Infectious Diseases was opened in Bujumbura, and at the beginning of next year, another mobile medical laboratory for rapid diagnostics will be transferred to our partners.

Russian-Burundian cooperation also covers many other areas, including the peaceful atom, justice, education, and personnel training.

The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia is our long-standing and reliable partner on the African continent. This year we jointly celebrated the 125th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

The official visit of the Prime Minister [Abiyya]in July was very fruitful and productive Ahmed's trip to Russia. During the forum, a number of intergovernmental agreements and commercial agreements were concluded in the field of transport and logistics, communications and communications, and the peaceful atom. Their implementation will undoubtedly contribute to the diversification of Russian-Ethiopian cooperation.

From the very beginning, Russia supported Ethiopia's bid to join BRICS. We will promote the effective involvement of Ethiopian partners in all mechanisms of interaction within the Association during our presidency in 2024.

The alliance and strategic partnership with Kazakhstan is based on time-tested historical, cultural, and kinship ties that bind the peoples of the two countries. November marked the 10th anniversary of the signing of the fundamental Treaty on Good Neighborliness and Alliance in the 21st Century.

In full compliance with the spirit and letter of this Treaty, our States are expanding cooperation in all areas. Mutual trade shows record figures. Numerous projects in the humanitarian sphere are being implemented.

Cooperation within the framework of the Eurasian Economic Community, the CIS and other international platforms is being built in a constructive manner. Russia will do everything possible to facilitate Kazakhstan's performance of the functions of the chairman of the Collective Security Treaty Organization and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization next year.

Our recent visit to Astana gave an important impetus to the further development of all areas of bilateral relations. We will see you again with Kassym-Jomart Tokayev at the end of the month in St. Petersburg at the traditional meetings of the leaders of the Eurasian Economic Community and the CIS.

We welcome the intention of the leadership of the Republic of Mali to form a long-term strategic partnership with our country. We are in constant contact with the Transitional President Assimi Goita. We had useful talks at the Russia-Africa summit. Our countries cooperate in the fight against international terrorism and religious extremism in the interests of strengthening peace and security in the Sahara-Sahel zone and West Africa as a whole.

Russia will continue to provide the Malian people with all-round assistance and support, including supplies of essential food, fertilizers, and industrial goods. Recently, a large batch of Russian grain was sent to the Republic free of charge. We will continue to cooperate in the humanitarian sphere. We will expand, in particular, the number of places for Malian citizens who want to study at Russian higher educational institutions.

By the way, I want to say that ships with Russian grain are being sent to six countries to help these countries that need food. Some vessels are already being unloaded, some are currently at sea, and some are being loaded in Russian ports.

As you know, bilateral relations between Russia and the Republic of Korea, unfortunately, are not going through the best of times. Until a few years ago, these relations were developing in the most constructive way and were mutually beneficial, especially in the economic sphere. We also worked together on the political and diplomatic settlement of the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

It depends on official Seoul whether it will be possible to return Russian-Korean cooperation to the path of partnership that is so beneficial for our countries and peoples. I would like to emphasize, dear Mr. Ambassador, that we are ready for this.

Russia's relations with the Republic of the Gambia are stable and constructive. There are all possibilities to give them additional dynamics. The Russian side is ready to propose concrete cooperation projects in the economic, humanitarian and other fields. In addition, we will continue to expand the practice of training specialists for the Gambia in Russian universities.

We have been able to develop pragmatic business cooperation with the Federal Republic of Germany for more than half a century. It brought benefits to both countries, and perhaps not only to us, but also to the entire European continent. Moreover, energy has always been an attractive area of bilateral cooperation. For decades, our country has reliably and smoothly supplied the Federal Republic of Germany with environmentally friendly gas fuel, oil, other energy products, and other energy raw materials at affordable and affordable prices. And this cooperation was literally undermined, including by sabotage on the Nord Stream pipeline.

The current frozen state of relations with Russia-and not on our initiative, I want to emphasize this-is not profitable for us, nor for you, but first of all, in my opinion, for Germany. This is also reflected in the fact that, in addition to political and economic ties, previously so successfully developing contacts in the scientific, educational, cultural and humanitarian fields, as well as relations between civil societies, have been suspended.

I would like to emphasize that Russia has always supported and still supports building Russian-German relations on the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and respect for each other's interests. I repeat, such relations are important not only for the two countries, but also for the whole of Europe.

Over the past decades, the Republic of Singapore has maintained productive relations with a special focus on their economic component. Business contacts were successfully developing. With Singapore's participation, useful cooperation was established on regional stability and security issues within the framework of the dialogue mechanism established between Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

We regret to note that our relations with our Baltic neighbor, the Kingdom of Sweden, are completely devoid of political contacts, trade and economic cooperation, cultural and humanitarian ties are curtailed.

Of course, each State itself determines the best ways to ensure its security. But Stockholm's rejection of the 200-year-old policy of non-participation in military blocs cannot but raise questions. Such a policy – and this is obvious to everyone – brought the Swedish side indisputable dividends and played an important role in shaping the overall atmosphere of security and stability in the Northern European region. The current situation in bilateral affairs, of course, does not meet the true interests of either our countries, the region, or Europe as a whole.

Russia and Slovenia have come a long way in three decades of diplomatic relations. Close trade and economic cooperation and extensive cultural and humanitarian cooperation were established. The level of mutual sympathy between the peoples of the two countries was symbolized by the annual Russian-Slovenian Friendship Day.

Now the bilateral dialogue is suspended. We regret this, but we are ready to return to mutually beneficial cooperation and even increase it if there is a similar approach from the Slovenian side.

Our relations with Luxembourg have a long history. Russia may be said to have been at the origin of Luxembourg's statehood in the 19th century. In general, Russian-Luxembourg cooperation has been developing constructively in the political, economic and humanitarian fields until recently. And we stand for our cooperation to return to its traditional positive direction.

This year, Russia and Pakistan celebrated the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations. These relations are truly friendly, as our meeting in Beijing in October with the Acting Prime Minister of Pakistan confirmed. Mutual trade is developing dynamically, and mutually beneficial cooperation is maintained in a number of sectors of the economy, including energy and agriculture.

Partnership between our two countries is carried out through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, as well as within the framework of mechanisms for promoting the Afghan settlement, such as the Moscow format of consultations and the regional Quartet.

Russia has strong friendly relations with the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria. The state visit of President Abdelmajid Tebboun to Russia in June of this year brought the fruitful cooperation between our countries to a qualitatively new level. The Declaration on Deep Strategic Partnership was adopted.

Russian-Algerian trade and economic cooperation is progressing at a good pace. The trade turnover has already exceeded two billion dollars, and humanitarian ties are consistently expanding.

We appreciate the balanced foreign policy of the Algerian leadership. Algeria will become a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council in 2024-2025. And we will certainly step up coordination with our Algerian partners on topical issues on the international and regional agenda.

Relations with the State of Kuwait are developing constructively. We attach priority importance to building up bilateral trade, economic and investment cooperation. We are interested in strengthening foreign policy cooperation, which is based on the traditional closeness of positions on a wide range of issues on the regional and international agenda. Taking into account Kuwait's membership in OPEC, we have coordinated and will continue to coordinate positions on energy policy issues.

Russia remembers that Australia was an ally in the fight against Nazism during the Second World War. Subsequently, our relations were friendly and mutually beneficial. Now all this can only be remembered: bilateral contacts have been curtailed in literally all areas.

And we cannot but be concerned about Canberra's active participation in the closed block structures being created in the Asia-Pacific region, which does not contribute to strengthening the atmosphere of trust and cooperation in this part of the world.

Relations with the Islamic Republic of Mauritius are built on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, taking into account the established traditions of friendship and mutual understanding. We believe that there is every opportunity to build up bilateral economic ties, primarily in the field of marine fisheries, and to strengthen coordination in Arab and African regional affairs.

Russia's partnership with the Republic of Turkey is at a high level and is based on many years of experience in effective cooperation in various fields. Moreover, both sides are determined to further develop relations based on the principles of good neighborliness, partnership and mutual benefit. All key bilateral issues are on the agenda of our regular contacts with President Erdogan.

I would like to emphasize that Russian-Turkish cooperation in the energy sector is truly strategic. Rosatom continues to build Turkey's first Akkuyu nuclear power plant. Close cooperation has been established in the gas sector as part of the operation of the Blue Stream and Turkish Stream pipelines. Work is underway to create a gas distribution hub in Turkey. And we still have many, many other interesting projects and joint initiatives, including in the field of trade and high technologies.

Speaking about relations with Great Britain, I would like to mention that the other day marked the 80th anniversary of the famous Tehran Conference of the three Allied Powers, which laid the foundations for the modern system of international relations. In the post-war period and until recently, our countries managed to build cooperation based on the understanding of their special responsibility for maintaining global peace, stability and security as permanent members of the UN Security Council. But the current state of affairs in the dialogue with London is well known, and we hope that the situation will change for the better in the interests of our two countries and peoples.

Multifaceted cooperation with friendly Turkmenistan is actively developing. Political and economic ties are harmoniously complemented by a wide range of contacts between parliaments, regions and the public. In the humanitarian sphere, I will mention the establishment of the Russian-Turkmen University and the construction of a new building of the State Russian Drama Theater and an additional building of the Pushkin Joint comprehensive school in Ashgabat.

Russia has great respect for Turkmenistan's policy of permanent neutrality. And we are ready to continue fruitful cooperation on multilateral platforms, primarily in the CIS, within the framework of the Caspian Five and the Central Asia plus Russia format.

As for relations between Russia and Greece, we have been building cooperation in a constructive and friendly manner for more than two centuries. This has helped us work together to achieve good results in economic and humanitarian cooperation. So, of course, we can't help but worry about the current situation in bilateral affairs. We can only hope that the traditional ties of spiritual closeness, mutual sympathy and respect between the Russian and Greek peoples will eventually help to revive the mutually beneficial partnership between our two countries, states, and normal business relations.

In recent years, our relations with the Dominican Republic have gained momentum. In many ways, this was the result of a noticeably increased tourist flow of Russians, who are attracted by the beauty of the nature of your country and wide opportunities for recreation. Naturally, we are also interested in developing cooperation in such areas as politics, economy, and culture. Taking into account the interest of Dominicans in obtaining higher education in Russia, we are increasing the quota of scholarships for your citizens.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen,

In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that Russia attaches great importance to relations with each of the States that you represent. In the course of your diplomatic activities, you can certainly count on the support of our side, the Russian leadership, executive authorities, business and public circles, and the parliament, of course.

I sincerely hope that you will also get personal satisfaction from working in Russia. You will be able to literally feel how our country lives, how our multi-confessional power lives with such a rich and diverse culture, feel the pulse of Russia, join its rich culture.

Dear Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish you success, good health, and all the best. I think it is unlikely that we will meet in this line – up before the New Year: congratulations on the upcoming New Year holidays, and congratulations on the upcoming Christmas to all those who celebrate Christmas at the end of December. All the best to you.

Unfortunately, for sanitary reasons, we can't talk in more detail, communicate. I hope that better times will come, not only in politics, but also in the health sector, and we will be able to do this. In any case, I and the Foreign Minister [Sergey Lavrov] – my assistant in foreign affairs – are always at your disposal on a working basis.

Once again, all the best to you. I wish you every success.

Happy New Year, Happy New Year! Good luck.

Goodbye.

The lack of personal handshakes at the ceremony’s end is now three years old. In the bottom photo, you’ll see Lavrov standing off to the right. And why the Turkish team was mentioned by Putin is now understood. As consistent readers are beginning to understand, Russia holds many competitions in all sorts of realms which is one of its several methods of projecting its soft power. The English page for VDNKh is here for those curious about that venue, although IMO the Russian page when translated has more info. Pepe Escobar’s back in Moscow and over the weekend toured the exhibits. I asked him how many days one needed to tour the entire venue, but he’s yet to answer. My impression is of an ongoing World’s Fair requiring 2-3 days at minimum to take-in completely.

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