Meeting of the Working Group "Vision 2050: Values and Rights of Peoples" Was Held in Moscow to Prepare Recommendations on the BRICS Civil Agenda to the Leaders of the BRICS Nations

On April 2, 2024 a meeting of the Working Group "Vision 2050: Values and Rights of Peoples" took place in Moscow at the Academic Council Hall of the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH). The purpose of the round table was to prepare for the upcoming BRICS Civil Forum scheduled for July 3-4, in Moscow. Participants discussed potential recommendations to be included in the zero drafts of the final documents of the BRICS Civil Forum, specifically focusing on Proposals to the leaders of the BRICS nations and the Address to the UN Summit of the Future. The round table was chaired by Valery Fadeyev, the Co-Chair of the Working Group "Vision 2050: Values and Rights of the BRICS Peoples", Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation, and the Chair of the Presidential Council for Civil Society and Human Rights.

The event was attended by prominent scholars and public figures specializing in human rights and values of modern Russian society, including philosophers, sociologists, cultural scientists, lawyers, and experts in international relations.

During his welcoming speech, Alexander Bezborodov, Rector of RSUH, highlighted the significance of convening at university venues to address the values and rights of the BRICS peoples. He noted that Russian universities, including RSUH, have been tasked by the government with developing civil agenda related to studying the culture of friendly countries, traditional values, and human rights.

Valery Fadeyev, the chair of the round table discussion, highlighted that Russian civil society pioneered the reassessment of human rights doctrines in today's world. The key objective is to analyse international practices and develop independent approaches to realizing the fundamental rights included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Unfortunately, contemporary perspectives are often dominated by Western interpretations of this document, which can lead to interference in state affairs and disruption of sovereignty. The key challenge is the substantial influence wielded by the well-funded network of Western NGOs, which scrutinize and assess civil liberties and human rights across nations. This scrutiny often imposes their socio-political perspectives and marginalizes those who do not conform to their standards and expectations. The solution to this issue could involve creating an alternative system of NGOs that would diverge from Western models and instead respect diverse cultures and civilizational traditions. It's important to move away from the rigid and linear Western approach and return to genuine values in understanding human rights and freedoms. Embracing the foundational values of the United Nations – peace, security, and justice – is crucial, with a primary focus on universal humanity and the rejection of Eurocentric perspectives. Education plays a critical role in this context, and our proposed political strategy includes adjusting school curricula in BRICS countries to reflect their cultural heritage and significant achievements, based on principles of mutual exchange and reciprocity.

In further exploring this topic, Albina Dudareva, Director of the Institute for Heritage and Modern Society at RSUH and Executive Director of the All-Russian Society for Nature Conservation, proposed establishing the BRICS Council on Cultural and Natural Heritage. This initiative could lead to the creation of an international fund dedicated to preserving and developing cultural and natural heritage sites across member states, leveraging best practices and expertise. A practical step forward could involve developing a digital platform for showcasing cultural and natural heritage sites, offering new avenues for nations to present their remarkable monuments and unique nature reserves to the global audience. This platform could enhance their appeal to tourists and ensure additional safeguards for their preservation, while also facilitating access to international management practices.

Taras Varkhotov, the Acting Head of the Department of Philosophy and Methodology of Science at the Faculty of Philosophy at Lomonosov Moscow State University emphasized the significance of studying value systems that can either bring peoples closer together or pull them further apart. He suggested establishing a Centre for Advanced Strategic Studies on Global Mechanisms of Public Life Regulation within BRICS. Its aim would be to reassess the methodological foundations of value studies and develop new descriptive and theoretical approaches to understanding values and fostering a dialogue about values.

Ekaterina Alisievich, Head of the Department of International and Integration Law at the Speransky Law Faculty of RANEPA, proposed discussing BRICS as a modern model of an alliance of civilizations that is developing successfully without the participation of the United States and Western European countries. This alliance could eventually evolve into a platform for shaping a new multipolar system of international relations based on extensive and equal dialogue among civilizations, cultures, religions, and peoples. Dr. Alisievich emphasized that the rights of peoples, including the right to existence, development, free disposal of national wealth and natural resources, and peaceful coexistence, could become the unifying principle for BRICS. Focusing on the rights of peoples could offer an alternative perspective on human rights efforts within member states and serve as a mutual area of interest for the BRICS nations.

Aslan Abashidze, Head of the Department of International Law of the RUDN University, Vice-Chair of the UN Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, Member of the Expert Council under the High Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, and Chair of the International Law Committee of the United Nations Association of Russia, spoke out against the proposed idea of creating an alternative NGO network. He stressed that relying on such NGOs to fully represent their states at the UN, especially amid discussions on expanding NGO roles at the General Assembly, may be challenging. Dr. Abashidze pointed out that alongside these NGOs, there will be others, often more prepared and supported by international networks and alliances, that will actively oppose these states. He highlighted that expanding NGO participation in cross-country structures could be a sensitive issue. Regarding the promotion and protection of Russian traditional values on a global scale, Dr. Abashidze noted that while some of our values may not be easily understood due to differing discourses and narratives, social justice could become a unifying platform, being a constitutional value that is highly attractive to many countries of the Global South.

Alexey Maslov, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Countries at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Acting Director of the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Professor at the HSE University's School of Asian Studies, emphasized the historical ties most BRICS countries and the former third-world countries in Asia and Africa had with the Soviet Union. Many experts from these countries studied in Soviet educational institutions and continue to be influenced by the historical standards that Russia is now diverging from. This is an important issue in the preservation and promotion of traditional values. Prof. Maslov stressed the need for a deeper understanding of the organizational structures, internal and external challenges, pain points, and complex relationships within these counties and regions. This understanding should extend beyond conventional research on the global economy, international relations, or language studies. We require a systematic training of specialized professionals who can effectively work with various regions. The BRICS Network University, established as a platform for cross-cultural communication, has not yet fully realized this potential. Another important aspect is the prevalence of concepts and terms rooted in Western scientific tradition, which may not fully align with BRICS culture. Therefore, developing new projects and approaches is crucial for fostering closer ties among BRICS countries. It is imperative to establish our own system of scientific information exchange that is independent of the Western countries. This should involve harmonizing databases and aligning expert discussions. One initial step could be the integration of scientific research databases.

Vladimir Pligin, Сo-Сhair of the Association of Lawyers of Russia and Leading Research Fellow at the Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences, emphasized the importance of addressing the problem of differing values in modern discussions. He pointed out that Russian society needs to reach internal consensus before it can present a list of traditional values for international discussion, stressing the importance of respecting national mentalities. The concept of human rights is humanity's greatest achievement and must be handled with care to preserve its idealistic harmony, avoiding unintentional compromises of its inherent integrity through unprepared discussions.

Olga Pavlenko, the First Vice Rector and Vice Rector for Academic Affairs at RSUH, pointed out that Western countries have begun appropriating rhetoric that resonates positively with countries in the Global South during their information wars. For instance, this is what happened to the concept of civilizational sovereignty. She emphasized the need to approach the theses we promote carefully, clearly, and accurately in response to this development. Dr. Pavlenko also stressed the importance of aligning our value constructs with Chinese and Indian concepts of world harmony. She noted that such ideas as social justice, poverty alleviation, and anti-neocolonialism are widely accepted and shared in many countries and can serve as bridges for fostering cross-cultural communication.

Professor Efim Pivovar, Director of the Institute of Eurasian and Interregional Studies at RSUH, Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and RSUH President, emphasized the importance of understanding the history of BRICS, particularly the adopted declarations that embody compromises in conceptual frameworks and representations. Each chair country has contributed unique perspectives to these conceptual frameworks and representations. The contributions of India and China differ from that of Brazil, which leans more towards Western-centric views. As the chair country in 2024, Russia has an opportunity and responsibility to promote its own vision within BRICS. However, effective compromise requires a thorough understanding of each other's perspectives and priorities.

The round table participants shared numerous other interesting opinions and suggestions. Follow-up discussions will continue at the national level through face-to-face and online meetings to develop a pool of ideas. These ideas will then be discussed with representatives of civil society and leaders of non-governmental organizations from the BRICS nations.