MINSK, 1 June (BelTA) - The Belarusian public organization Sister Cities proposed to hold a meeting of sister cities of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in 2023, Svetlana Kartasheva, a member of the board of the public organization, head of the Zaslavl town administration, said at the roundtable to discuss public diplomacy in cooperation between Belarus and the SCO. The event was hosted by the House of Friendship in Minsk on 31 May, BelTA has learned.
In the context of radical transformations in the system of international relations, it is important that we develop joint positions and implement mutually beneficial projects, Svetlana Kartasheva noted.
The potential for interaction between the countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization is great, Svetlana Kartasheva said and urged to tap into it more actively. "The SCO member state is a unique constellation of cultural civilizations and traditions. Twinning of the cities of Belarus and SCO member states is now gaining momentum. It would be good if our embassies in those countries set up a database of the cities that would like to twin with Belarusian partners and work together with the Belarusian public organization Sister Cities, Svetlana Kartasheva noted.
During the roundtable, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kyrgyzstan Ermek Ibraimov also spoke about his country's experience in promoting public diplomacy and increasing its role in the international arena. In turn, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Tajikistan Mahmadsharif Haqdod dwelled on his country's national experience in SCO programs.
According to Nina Ivanova, Chairwoman of the Belarusian Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, the roundtable provided a good opportunity to analyze many aspects of the organization's activities the possibilities of public diplomacy in interaction between Belarus and the SCO.
