On July 31st, 2024, a round table was held for the winners of the First International Competition of Russian and African Journalists: “Great Personalities in the History of Russian-African Relations”, dedicated to the 225th anniversary of the birth of Alexander Pushkin.
The event was organised by the Russian-African Club of Moscow State University, in partnership with the Union of Journalists of Russia, the Faculty of Journalism, and the Faculty of Global Operations of Moscow State University, with support from the Secretariat of the Russian-African Partnership Forum (Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Speakers included competition winners, diplomats, senior media managers, producers, TV presenters, journalists, public figures, academics, and cultural representatives from Russia and African countries.
Discussions focused on the contributions of historical figures to Russian-African relations, with participants presenting ideas to spread knowledge about these figures in Russia and Africa.
Preparations for the Second International Competition of Russian and African Journalists, themed “Short video stories about the tourist attractions of your country,” dedicated to the 270th anniversary of Moscow University, were also discussed.
The meeting was conducted in Russian, English, French, and Arabic.
Timur Shvyra, Secretary of the Union of Journalists of Russia, delivered a welcoming speech, emphasising the importance of such events in strengthening international relations. He described journalists as “citizen diplomats” who build constructive partnerships and maintain stability.
Anna Gladkova, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Journalism at Moscow State University, conveyed greetings from Dean Elena Vartanova and highlighted the significance of holding the competition on the anniversary of Pushkin’s birth.
One of the winners, Kabyne Danielle Juanita from Cameroon, spoke about her essay on Togolese President Igunchi Behanzin, expressing the honour she felt in winning the competition.
Another winner, Hafez Bassi from Sudan, wrote about Pushkin, noting the poet’s connection to his African roots.
Christian Munini from the Democratic Republic of the Congo highlighted Patrice Lumumba in his winning entry, praising Lumumba’s fight against colonialism and his efforts to forge ties with the Soviet Union and Russia.
Senegalese laureate Abdou Karim Diakhati, editor-in-chief of Le Pan African magazine, focused on Sembene Ousmane, who contributed to raising African consciousness in the fight for independence.
Russian winner Anastasia Zabolskaya wrote about Sergei Lavrov, portraying him as a key figure in Russian diplomacy in the 21st century.
South African winner Hula Kisua celebrated Samora Machel, a Mozambican revolutionary and former president who collaborated with the Soviet Union.
Dr Yves Ekwe Amaisu, Director of the Analytical Center for Afrocentrism in Togo, stressed the importance of recognising ordinary people who contribute to Russian-African relations, while Rwandan participant Enganzo Jacondo François Xavier underscored the role of Russian-African organisations in strengthening these ties.
Director of the Russian-African Club at Moscow State University Ilya Shershnev, noted the importance of university alumni as “envoys” and “ambassadors” in fostering international relations, suggesting the competition’s expansion through alumni networks.
Zenibi Kinfo, President of the African Diaspora Union, and Louis Gowind, Chairman of the Cameroonian Diaspora, echoed calls for collaboration among Russian-African organisations to solidify bilateral relations.
Daniel Sawadogo, Cultural Relations Attaché at the Embassy of Burkina Faso, hailed the competition’s success and urged for similar events to be held regularly to enhance cooperation between Russia and African countries.
Finally, Sergei Chesnokov, a permanent expert of the Russian-African Club, proposed establishing club branches in African countries to facilitate closer interaction.
Alexander Berdnikov, Executive Secretary of the Russian-African Club, summarised the roundtable by advocating for the publication of the competition’s articles and suggesting collaboration with other universities to further strengthen Russian-African relations.
