ABOUT THE RESULTS OF ONE REGIONAL FORUM

N. L. KRYLOVA

Doctor of Historical Sciences Institute of Africa, Russian Academy of Sciences

N. V. SUKHOV

Russian Center for Science and Culture in Morocco

russian language in Africa Keywords:, Russian abroad, Russian-African family, Russian school abroad

In June 2011, our compatriots living in the Kingdom of Morocco hosted the leaders of Russian associations, Russian Centers of Science and Culture (RCSC), Rossotrudnichestvo from Africa and the Middle East, as well as representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry, the Russkiy Mir Foundation, the Moscow House of Compatriots, and the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Casablanca. Representatives from 14 countries gathered in Casablanca to discuss together ways to solve the problem of preserving the Russian world, scattered over vast expanses of the planet, cultural and moral values that our ancestors cherished and, based on which, created great Russia.

Opening the conference, Alexander Safronov, Deputy Director of the Department for Work with Compatriots of the Russian Foreign Ministry, stressed that " the dissemination of the Russian language and culture abroad is one of the most important activities of the Russian state... And it is our duty to help our compatriots preserve their ethno-cultural identity and ties with their historical homeland." In an interview with ITAR-TASS, representative of the Moscow House of Compatriots Nikolai Yakhontov summed up:: "Stable diasporas of our compatriots have formed in the countries of the Middle East and Africa, which are largely representatives of our country. And if we provide them with all possible assistance, this will be the most favorable factor." Boris Bolotin, the Russian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, expressed the importance of such a forum more specifically, noting that "the conference of compatriots in Casablanca is a good opportunity to raise questions for Moscow, address proposals and initiatives." And they were clearly formulated by the conference participants. First of all, it should be noted that in the "Program of Work with Compatriots abroad for 2012-2014" that is being developed, assistance in structuring public associations, including youth ones, and the development of country and regional mass media should be emphasized. The conference resolution confirms that the improvement of Russian legislation in relation to compatriots, the development of the concept of a Russian school abroad, and the preservation of the Russian language in the countries of the region remain relevant.

Over the past six months, compatriots have felt a lack of interaction with the Moscow Government and called on it to adopt the city's "Program of Work with Compatriots for 2012-2014"as soon as possible. It is generally recognized that Russian centers of science and culture are the mainstay for cultural and educational activities of compatriots in the countries where they exist. Unfortunately, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the network of cultural centers in the Middle East and, especially, Africa lost most of its links. This is due to the insistent requests to the Federal Agency for CIS Affairs of compatriots living Abroad, and between-

People's Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) should continue to work on re-establishing such a network.

The multilateral dialogue at the round table, which became a kind of continuation of the conference, turned out to be no less thorough and constructive. The current round table*, which was organized by the representative office of Rossotrudnichestvo in Morocco, the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences and the Coordinating Council of Compatriots in Morocco with the support of the Russian Foreign Ministry, brought together more than 40 people representing Russians from Africa and the Middle East. Its theme - "Teacher and Student in "Russian" Africa " - can be safely called innovative, since this problem that arises in the places of residence of Russian compatriots, in the context of a huge variety of forms of mutual influence and interaction of all participants in the educational process, has never been raised before. Such a problem exists and is particularly acute today, when globalization challenges cultural and national identity. In a new life for Russian compatriots, it is important to raise their children not as "Ivans who do not remember their kinship", but as individuals who honor their homeland and the culture of their ancestors.

Excerpts from the speeches at the round table show how relevant and significant this problem is for our compatriots themselves, how much they are concerned about the "Russian component" in the education system of their children, their upbringing in a mixed family. "Teacher, Student, in Russian Africa... How far away is Africa! And we live here. We are native speakers of the Russian language and culture. We are representatives of Russian Africa, people who came here for completely different reasons.... And now we have to be teachers for our own children. No matter how much we try to adapt to the country that has adopted us, our children still heard the first word in their lives from us, mothers. And the word was-in Russian. Even if our children grow up in a different language, they know that their mothers are Russian. And they try to address us in Russian" (Tatiana Najah, Rabat, Morocco).

"It only seems that there is nothing easier than to sit side by side in a bright room with these two people: the one who can teach and the one who wants to learn; it only seems that there is nothing easier for the teacher to start teaching, because he, the teacher, speaks-reads-writes so easily and fluently. in your native Russian language. It just seems simple, but you can try to make this meeting of a teacher and a student take place in real conditions of foreign countries, so that this meeting is not a one - time meeting, but results in a long and fruitful educational process, try it... and you will understand that you can organize such a program

* The Round table of leaders of international non-governmental organizations that unite Russian-speaking women, "Russian Women in Mixed Marriages", was held in Marrakech in June 2009. The second one- " The Russian language as a tool for preserving spiritual culture in a modern "mixed" family " - was held in Rabat in September 2010.

the meeting is quite difficult and difficult" (Nina Sergeeva, Latakia, Syria).

Of course, the concept of "Teacher" in the vast expanses of the Russian diaspora is much broader than just a specialist teaching school subjects; it is extremely multifaceted, complex and finely structured: it is, first of all, the family and, of course, the Russian mother, as the first Teacher in the life of a child; later - a teacher, mentor, who carries the initial tasks of the teacher. spiritual values of Russian culture; these are psychologists, teachers of music, Russian theater arts; an important educational and patriotic role can and should be played by domestic media.

And the "Student" here is not easy. Long-term experience of working with children from mixed marriages in Russian centers of Science and Culture operating in Africa and the Middle East makes it clear that a child of parents who belong to different cultures, and, consequently, who is in contact with different norms and values in the person of mother and father, is a kind of independent cultural value, really an existing one that requires teachers and mentors to treat themselves carefully and carefully. Much of this depends on the child's blood-related environment, the very atmosphere of the home, as well as on the norms and ideals instilled by their caregivers, the media, and peer groups.

The relevance and diversity of the problem raised is evidenced by the range of topics that caused a lively controversy at the current forum.:

- Teacher and Student - psychology of relationships, search for mutual understanding and forms of interaction;

- first steps in the spiritual space of a Russian-speaking child and the educational role of the family;

- problems and peculiarities of educational practices in Russian-speaking families in a foreign cultural environment, issues of preschool education in Russian;

- preserving the original culture in the new conditions of life: the experience of elders-examples from the life of Russian emigration of the first and second wave;

- Russian language abroad as a tool for preserving the original culture: problems of a new generation;

- young people in the modern Russian diaspora: integrate while preserving themselves.

The main outcomes of the third Moroccan round table are set out in its resolution. To discuss and resolve a number of issues related to the forms and content of teaching Russian to children who speak two or more languages at the same time, in a foreign-language, foreign-cultural environment, it was decided to create a regional organization of teachers of the Russian language and national history, which would help improve the professional level of teachers of these disciplines in the field. To restore the knowledge of the Russian language and the history of Russia among the first teachers of Mestizo children-compatriots themselves, organize courses in their countries of residence on teaching them modern methods of teaching the Russian language and national history. Based on the experience of teaching school subjects to children from mixed families in Africa and the Middle East, the participants of the round table propose to create a working group with the involvement of specialists from the Russian Academy of Sciences, specialized higher educational institutions of Russia - the Institute of Asian and African Countries of the Moscow State University. Lomonosov University, Peoples ' Friendship University of Russia, and others to prepare methodological and educational literature that takes into account the linguistic and mental specifics of their countries of permanent residence. This is an appeal to the authors and readers of Asia and Africa Today.

The hopes of the participants for the continuation of this necessary work are reflected in one of the points of the round table resolution: "In connection with the preparation of the 6th regional conference of Compatriots from Africa and the Middle East, consider and submit to the Russian Foreign Ministry a proposal to hold a regular round table under the working title" Children of Compatriots. Life in two cultures".

Permanent link to this publication: