4th annual conference of the Middle East Dialogue of the Valdai International Discussion Club, titled “Islam in Politics: Ideology or Pragmatism?”, will take place in Marrakesh, Morocco, on May 14-15.
Issues of commonalities and differences in the Muslim communities of Russia and Canada, as well as problems of their integration into the legal frameworks of their respective countries, were the main topics of discussion at the conference Muslims in Russia, the CIS, and Canada: Cohabitation and Cooperation
The conference Muslims in Russia, the CIS, and Canada: Cohabitation and Cooperation presented by Carleton’ Institute of European, Russian and Eurasian Studies, the Department of Political Science, the Carleton Centre for the Study of Islam, and the Valdai Discussion Club is to be held on March 8, 2013 at the Carleton University, Ottawa.
The analytical report “Russia’s Economy: after Transformation, before Modernization” was prepared after discussions at the Valdai Discussion Club Summit held on October 21–22, 2012. The report incorporates many of the conclusions on Russia’s political development contained in the 2011 Valdai report “Russia Should Not Miss Its Chance: Development Scenarios”.
The Russia Development Index (Valdai Index) reflects the combined opinion of the world's leading experts on Russia as regards Russia’s political, economic, social, cultural and international performance. The annual poll aims to study changes in Russia’s development trends over a year. It is important that respondents assess not the current situation, but changes.
The analytical report “Military Reform: Toward the New Look of the Russian Army” summarizes the results of the conference of the Valdai Discussion Club Defense and Security section titled “Modernization of Russia’s Armed Forces and Cooperation in International Security” which was held on May 25-27, 2011 in Moscow.
The relationship between history and politics in Russia has changed radically over the past 25 years since the beginning of perestroika. One change began in 2009-2010, although its consequences are not yet evident, and affected the principles of the Russian version of ‘historical policy,’ i.e. the use of specially selected elements of the past for political purposes.
It is difficult to give an unequivocal assessment of the causes of the disaster of 1941. The army and the nation were preparing for war. Clausewitz saw the military as an instrument of diplomacy, and indeed the Soviet military and political leadership had ordered the army not to provoke Hitler to invade prior to the start of the war.
The lessons of the Korean War are especially important for Russia. At the time, by trying to expand its sphere of influence, the Soviet Union put its own international prestige at stake by stretching its relations with the West to a breaking point – risking the disintegration of the still nascent United Nations and almost turning the Cold War into a hot one.
Geopolitically, the collapse of the Soviet Union allowed Russia and other post-Soviet states to integrate better into the global economy, have a much greater market cooperation with countries and companies abroad, share modern management, investment, social sciences, and even the arts which were inaccessible in the past.
This year the Russian Pacific Fleet marks a significant anniversary: 280 years ago, on May 21, 1731 the Senate ruled that the naval port of Okhotsk should be built on the Pacific coast. Residents of the Russian Far East needed to build naval ships and ports to protect their land, trade and sea routes from attacks by their neighbors.
The growing popularity of the myth about Stalin is linked with the present agenda. A series of loud corruption scandals aggravated by the culprits’ impunity have left society disappointed in the authorities. Protest attitudes are on the rise. In the Russian system of values, the category of justice has always been above that of the law.
VE Day’s role in creating an identity for post-Soviet RussiaWhy does VE Day matter so much in post-Soviet Russia? One obvious reason is that the triumph over Nazi Germany in WWII is the only victory relevant to the entire nation that can act as a unifying force.
In light of the present situation in the Middle East, Russia and Israel find themselves facing common challenges. Under these newly emerging situations, Russia sees its partnership with Israel as a potential asset in resolving acute regional issues. From a Russian perspective, the compatibility of Israeli and Russian interests could contribute to such a partnership.
The failure of the Islamist political parties who came to power in the dramatic events of the Arab Spring would allow the military to reenter the political arena. Political Islam was successful in the opposition, but it could fail in power, as the negative experience of Egypt and Iraq have shown.
The agreement made in Cairo on forming a national unity government will allow the Palestinians to overcome discord and begin integration of all government structures.
The Lebanese experience in resolving inter-religious conflict may provide clues for resolving the situation in Syria, said Secretary General of the Lebanese National Dialogue Party Fouad Makhzoumi at the Valdai Club Middle East Dialogue in Morocco. About 100 political and public figures and experts on the Middle East from Russia, the Middle East and North Africa and the West are discussing the future of political Islam in the Arab world.
