The 9th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum was held from November 15 to 19 in Russia, organized by the Government of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, and the St Petersburg City Government. President Hao Rong of the CAD, also a member of the Committee of Foreign Affairs of the CPPCC National Committee, was invited to by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation to the forum and deliver a speech. 

President Hao Rong at 9th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum

Themed as ‘United Cultures’, the forum shed light on culture and business, theatre, music, museums, artificial intelligence and cinema.

The seminar on theatre was held on the afternoon of November 16 (local time). As the second speaker, President Hao Rong spoke of Chinese theatre art and its relation with Russian drama and literature, as well as the Stanislavsky system as the CAD’s educational base. Mr. Hao then elaborated on the status quo of digital theatre in China and its trend.

Rector Grigory Zaslavskiy of Russian Institute of Theatre Arts, General Manager Kirill Krok of the Vakhtangov Theatre, and Rector Evgeny Knyazev of The Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute all responded to Prof. Hao Rong in their speeches and extended their gratitude for the CAD’s constant efforts in promoting global theatre education. They also expressed their wish to deepen the win-win cooperation with the CAD based on mutual understanding and trust.

On the afternoon of November 17 (local time), the Plenary Session of the 9th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum was held, attended by President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who, in his speech, hoped to see high-level exchanges between China and Russia in the fields of culture, art and sports.

As part of the framework of the forum, Prof. Hao Rong, on behalf of the CAD, signed a tripartite MoU with the Vakhtangov Theatre and The Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute, with General Manager Kirill Krok of the Vakhtangov Theatre representing the two Russian institutes.

The CAD Signed A Tripartite MoU with the Vakhtangov Theatre and The Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute

During the stay in St. Petersburg, Prof. Hao Rong and his delegation also visited the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts, and held talks respectively with Mr. Valery Fokin, artistic director of the of Alexandrinsky Theatre, and Mr. Grigory Kozlov, artistic director of the Mastkhaya Theatre.

Prof. Hao Rong’s Meeting with Valery Fokin

Prof. Hao Rong’s Meeting with Grigory Kozlov

It has been a fruitful visit, a positive action taken to promote the cooperation between the two countries in the field of culture, art and education, and a pioneering move by the CAD to fulfill its responsibilities as the national team of theatre education. In the future, the Academy will further deepen its cooperative relations with Russian art institutes and theatre groups, constantly expand the scope and field of cooperation, and carry out international cooperation in the fields of acting, directing, professional training and faculty construction.