04.10.2021
October 4th, MGIMO hosted the Brunei Day to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The event had two parts: the round table entitled “The Diplomacy of Art and The Art of Diplomacy”, and the opening of the exhibition by the Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to Russia His Excellency Haini Hashim.
The participants of the round table were welcomed by the MGIMO Vice-Rector for Science and Research Andrey Baykov, the author of the exhibition and Ambassador of Brunei to Russia Haini Hashim, and the Ambassador of Russia to Brunei Vladimir Goncharenko (via video message).
At the round table, the reports were devoted to the history and current state of the relations between Brunei and Russia, the interaction between Russia and ASEAN as well as individual aspects of the development of art and culture in South-East Asia in general and in Brunei in particular. Among the speakers were the Head of the MGIMO Department of Diplomacy and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (1994–1996) Alexander Panov; an artist and the member of the Russian Academy of Arts, the President of the Bureau of Creative Expeditions Vladimir Anisimov; the Head of the Department of Theory and History of Culture at RUDN University Yelena Vasilchenko; an artist and the Head of the Department of Painting at Basa Institute Ivan Novikov; the Chief Researcher at the Department of Art of Peoples of the Far East, South-East Asia and Oceania at the State Museum of Oriental Art Natalia Gozheva; a sculptor, the member of the International Association of Art affiliated with UNESCO, the Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts Grigory Pototsky with Ekaterina Koldunova, the Acting Director of the ASEAN Center and Associate Professor at the Department of Oriental Studies, being the moderator.
The participants of the round table discussed such issues as the role of cultural ties in the development of relations between Russia and South-East Asia, the support of the creative community by the diplomatic missions in particular and the cultural institutes by the state in general, peculiarities of the cultural space in South-East Asia and how hard it is to work in this area and popularize the achievements of artists from these countries in the sphere of art.
The round table was followed by the opening of the solo exhibition by the foreign Honorary Member of the Russian Academy of Arts and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Brunei Darussalam to the Russian Federation His Excellency Haini Hashim at the atrium of the MGIMO New Building. The guests were welcomed by the Acting Director of the ASEAN Center Ekaterina Koldunova. The Chief Scientific Secretary of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Arts and the member of the Russian Academy of Arts Oleg Koshkin thanked Ambassador Haini Hashim on behalf of the Academy for his contribution to arts while the artist told the audience about the conception of the exhibition, focusing on the piece donated to MGIMO.
The exhibition includes portraits and thematic compositions created in different years, with some of them being made during the lockdown in Moscow. It is devoted to the reflections concerning the artist’s personal experience as a diplomat, his family and his life in Russia. It is particularly important for the author to present his pieces at MGIMO, one of the most important training centers for diplomats, to share his experience with the younger generation. Among the distinguished guests and participants were diplomats, artists, as well as culture scholars, historians, and ethnographers studying various aspects of the development of South-East Asian countries. The Brunei Day at MGIMO was attended by the representatives of all ten ASEAN countries’ embassies in Moscow, with many ambassadors and deputy heads of the missions taking part in the event. Among the guests were also the Chairman of the Russia-ASEAN Business Council Ivan Polyakov and the staff of the Council; the President of the Odintsovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry Viktor Tarusin; employees, faculty and students of MGIMO University, MSU, RUDN University, the Gnesin Russian Academy of Music and other Moscow universities.
The exhibition will be open at the University until October 8th.
