On April 22, the Valdai Discussion Club held a special session as part of the International Kant Congress, titled “Reason and Progress? History of Civilisations Turned to the Future”. The session was held at the Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (BFU) (Kaliningrad, Alexander Nevsky St., 14).
The Valdai session was opened by Andrey Bystritsky, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai International Discussion Club. Anton Alikhanov, Governor of the Kaliningrad Region, also made an opening speech.
In January 2024, during a visit to Kaliningrad, Russian President Vladimir Putin met with students from universities in the Kaliningrad region at the Baltic Federal University. “Immanuel Kant is a foundational thinker. Of course, his call to use one’s own reason is as relevant today as it can be. For Russia, in practical terms, this means being guided by its national interests,” the Russian leader remarked during the meeting.
During the period of “crumbling” of the world order and the formation of a new polycentric world, the Valdai Club, within the framework of the Kant Congress, will focus its attention on topics that go beyond the political situation. Despite the volatility of international affairs, Valdai continues to facilitate dialogue among experts from various countries and academic disciplines, with an emphasis on objective and unbiased analysis.
The goal of the Valdai session was to examine the present and immediate future through the lens of historical experience. Discussions centred on issues such as the prospects for contemporary civilizations, trajectories of historical evolution, contemporary values, convergence and divergence between civilizations. In the opinion of the organizers of the Valdai Club session, the location of the Congress – the Kaliningrad Region – was the best way to discuss topics that have a universal resonance and, especially, historical roots. The Valdai Club had long planned to hold a discussion in the Kaliningrad Region and was glad to have this opportunity.
Working languages: Russian, English.