ASEM International Conference of high level to take place in the Presidential Library

July 3-4, 2014, the Presidential Library (3, Senate Square, St. Petersburg) will host the ASEM International Conference of high level on intercultural and interreligious dialogue "Harmony between civilizations as a prerequisite for sustainable development." The event is organized by the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation under the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation within the framework of the Year of Culture in Russia.

The conference will be an important component of international efforts to find efficient ways to overcome fragmentation and uncover a positive potential of cultural diversity in the world. ASEM as an international forum of Asian and European countries open for informal communication, representing all major religions of the world, is one of the most suitable sites for such a dialogue.

The conference will be attended by heads of relevant ministries and agencies of the member states of ASEM (51 countries), representatives of religious confessions, of the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, as well as scientists, artistic and cultural workers.

The meeting will be opened by the Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Vladimir Medinsky. Speakers at the conference will be: Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Igor Morgulov, Special Representative of the President of RF for International Cultural Cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoi, ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh.

ASEM High Level Conference on intercultural and interreligious dialogue will also include a press conference for media representatives which will take place July 4, 2014. The press conference will be attended by the RF Deputy Minister of Culture Alla Manilova and Ambassador at large of the RF Ministry of Foreign Affairs Konstantin Shuvalov.

The fact that the Presidential Library is hosting the International Conference of high-level emphasizes the high public interest in the development of the first national electronic library in the country, which is an informational, cultural and educational center, having no analogues in Russia and outstripping in most areas foreign technology.

The Presidential Library organizes and serves as a venue for scientific and cultural events - workshops, conferences, business meetings and international summits. It has hosted such large-scale events as the International Conference "Nuclear Energy in the 21^st century", which was attended by representatives of more than 90 countries, the plenary session of the 16th session of the Russian-Swedish Supervisory Committee on Trade and Economic Cooperation, the meeting of the Organizing Committee of the II St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum and other events.

Detailed information on the conference, its program and accreditation for journalists to cover the activities of the conference are available at: www.asemrussia2014.com until June 30, 2014.

Media contacts: Yekaterina Kondrashova, tel: +7 (911) 261-84-71, e-mail: press_asemrussia2014@mail.ru.

Please note that the online accreditation is compulsory for all media representatives who plan to attend the conference events.