International Philological Forum will bring together more than 350 specialists

From May 13 to 15, St. Petersburg State University will host the First St.
Petersburg International Philological Forum “The Russian Language and the
Cultural-Educational Sovereignty of Multinational Russia”. More than 350
scholars, educators, experts, and government representatives from Russia,
Belarus, Benin, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Tunisia, Uzbekistan, and other
countries will participate in the event. The event organizers are the Ministry
of Education of the Russian Federation, the Government of St. Petersburg, St.
Petersburg State University, the V. Lednev Institute of Content and Teaching
Methods, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia), as well as the
professional associations.
The Forum aims to create a unique interdisciplinary platform for discussing
the role of the Russian language as the foundation of state unity, a key
element of quality education, and a guardian of spiritual and moral values. It
also seeks to unite efforts to protect the Russian language, promote it, and
prevent the banning of the Russian language and literature both within our
country and abroad.
Guests of the Forum can expect three days of intensive and diverse work.
The program includes over 30 events in various formats, covering a wide
range of topics - from state language policy to practices supporting family
reading.
The central event of the Forum will be a plenary session with the
participation of Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Russian
Federation Dmitry Chernyshenko, Minister of Education of the Russian
Federation Sergei Kravtsov, Rector of Saint Petersburg University Nikolay
Kropachev, as well as other leading representatives of government,
education, and science. An important part of the business program will be a
meeting of the Government Commission on the Russian Language, chaired
by the Minister of Education of the Russian Federation, where priorities for
state support of the language will be considered.
The thematic sections will cover the entire spectrum of current issues - from
strategic priorities of language policy to innovative teaching methods in
schools and universities. The focus of discussion will be on the social mission
of language as a tool for national unity and the transformation of the Russian
linguistic worldview in the modern educational space. The scientific
discussion will be complemented by open lectures from leading philologists
and writers.
For practicing teachers, there will be masterclasses conducted by winners
and prize-winners of the Best Reading Practices Competition, laureates of
the All-Russian Competition “Best Teacher of Native Language and Native
Literature”, and coaches of school teams for the final stage of the All-Russian
Olympiad in the Russian Language. Teachers whose students achieve
outstanding results on final assessments and All-Russian Olympiads will
share their experiences. Participants will also be able to attend open lecturesby renowned philologists and writers.
The program will be supplemented by thematic round tables dedicated to
memorable anniversaries: on the 225th anniversary of V.I. Dahl, participants
will discuss the formation of lexicographic culture among schoolchildren; on
the 90th anniversary of L.A. Verbitskaya, the future of Russian speech
culture; and on the 120th anniversary of D.S. Likhachev, the academician's
legacy in modern science.
In addition to the main venue, the events will take place in leading cultural
and educational institutions of the city. A section dedicated to the
preservation and promotion of the Russian language abroad will be held at
Herzen State Pedagogical University, and a round table on spiritual values
and linguistic competence in higher education will be held at the St.
Petersburg Theological Academy.
The Forum will conclude on May 15 with visits to leading schools in St.
Petersburg - Academic Gymnasium No. 56 and Lyceum No. 280 named
after M. Lermontov, where guests will get acquainted with the advanced
educational practices of St. Petersburg.
This event will be an important step towards consolidating the professional
community, preserving linguistic and cultural diversity, and strengthening
the position of the Russian language as the basis for the spiritual unity of
multinational Russia.