Speaking at the round table on Perspectives of Russian-Latin American Cooperation: the Creative Role of Culture, the official drew attention on Russia’s absence in the music, cinema, theater and museums in that region.

“Brazilian music, Argentinean cinema, ancient Mexican art are missing. The presence of Latin America is missing, something my generation is used to,” he said.

Shvydkoi called for a meeting of cultural producers and promoters to boost artistic ties with those countries.

He suggested that in the case of museums, exchanges are possible, especially with stable regions where the security of the exhibitions will be guaranteed, and mentioned Peru, Mexico and Brazil as examples.

“There is a lot of things that the Russian public has not seen for a long time or never. On the other hand, we have a lot to show them,” referring to the possibility of bringing Russian art to those nations.

He also proposed encouraging the promotion of national films abroad through the Russian company Roskino and, in the field of literature, establishing agreements with the Translation Institute and the country’s main publishers.

“Today there is much less Latin American literature on our shelves than in the 20th century,” he lamented.

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