December, 8-9 MGIMO hosted the X jubilee Convention of the Russian International Studies Association (RISA) devoted to “25 years of Russia"s foreign policy”. The event took place with the support of the MGIMO Endowment Foundation and the MGIMO Alumni Association.

The X RISA Convention program encompassed a record number of events - 60 sections and round tables, 2 plenary sessions and 3 international conferences: “Israel and Russia: common and specific in viewpoints. Devoted to the 25th anniversary of Russian-Israeli relations”, “Russia and Poland in new environment: are there opportunities for cooperation?”, “ASEAN and Russia in Asia-Pacific region: dynamic of cooperation, regional processes and the global context (final results of the anniversary year of the ASEAN – Russia dialogue partnership)”. More than 1200 leading Russian and international experts representing more than 35 countries have participated in the X RISA Convention.

Numerous sections of the Convention were organized and moderated by the heads of the leading research institutes as well as by the representatives of Russian universities and other partner organizations. Special sessions were organized by the “Valdai” International discussion club, Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), the Alexander Gorchakov Public Diplomacy Fund, the Russkiy Mir Foundation.

During the plenary sessions on the opening day of the Convention the Rector of MGIMO, the President of RISA, full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Torkunov, the deputy foreign minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Ryabkov, the Dean of the School of Social Sciences, Higher School of Economics, vice-president of RISA, ProfessorAndrei Melvil, the former National Security Advisor of the Prime Minister of Israel Yaacov Amidror, the Dean of the School of world politics, Lomonosov Moscow State University, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Andrei Kokoshin, President of the Kyrgyz Republic (1991 – 2005), honorary doctorate of MGIMO Askar Akaev, Head of the Council of Development and Support Foundation of the”Valdai” International discussion club, the Dean of the School of communications, media and design, Higher School of Economics, Professor Andrei Bystritsky, director of the Institute for US and Canadian Studies, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Sergey Rogov, Director of the Euro-Asian department of the Ministry for foreign affairs of Israel Itzhak Ben-Zvi, director of the Institute of World History, member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Alexander Chubarian, director of the Institute of Economics, correspondent member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Ruslan Grinberg, and the vice-rector of MGIMO, the executive director of RISA Artem Malgin addressed the audience.

This year in the framework of the X RISA Convention a scientific contest among young researchers was held for the first time. December, 8 the awarding ceremony took place in three nominations: “Best monograph”, “Best collective research”, and “Best scientific article by a young researcher”. The jury consisting of the members of the Governing Board of RISA have assessed totally 47 papers submitted to the Organizing Committee in the period from September, 1 to October, 31.

The awardees are:
In the nomination “Best monograph”

1. Dmitry Streltsov (MGIMO) – “Foreign policy priorities of Japan in the Asia-Pacific region”;
2. Alexander Kuteinikov (Saint-Petersburg University) – “International intergovernmental organizations: theoretical-sociological analysis”;

In the nomination “Best collective research”

1. Dmitry Bekyashev, Dmitry Ivanov (MGIMO) – “International legal regulation of forced and labour migration”;
2. Group of authors of the student book “Diplomatic service of foreign countries” (E. Astakhov, V. Dolgov, T. Zonova, M. Zubov, S. Krylov, O. Lebedeva, P. Lyadov, V. Morozov, A, Panov, Y. Raikov, M. Rossiysky, V. Terekhov, M. Shirinsky);

In the nomination “Best scientific article by a young researcher”

1. Alina Vladimirova (Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences) – “Asian and African countries in the United Nations Organization: soft power usage analysis”;
2. Maria Maksakova (MGIMO) – “Contemporary cooperation between Russia and West Balkan countries: opportunities, risks and prospects”;
3. Igor Putintsev (MGIMO) – “Variants of the distribution of powers in the Central and Eastern European countries”;
4. Pavel Timofeev (Primakov National research institute of world economy and international relations of RAS) – “Russian – French relations: evolution and urgent problems (2012 - 2015)”;
5. Andrey Philinov (Lomonosov Moscow State University, Department of History) – “Soviet leadership and the Mukden Incident: political assessment and mobilization efforts in 1931 - 1933”.

The participants and guests of the X RISA Convention were offered a rich cultural program. During the Convention days three exhibitions were launched in the New Building of MGIMO: an exhibition of historical documents and photographs from the archives of the Russian Ministry for foreign affairs devoted to the 25th anniversary of Russia’s foreign policy; an exhibition “Israeli discoveries and innovations that changed the world”; and an exhibition devoted to the 150th anniversary of the birth of the distinguished Estonian politician Jaan Poska.

Besides, both days of the Convention culminated in classical music concerts. December, 8 MGIMO Conference Hall hosted the performance of the Students symphony orchestra of Moscow Conservatory (band director – orchestra artistic director, honored artist of the Russian Federation, Professor Anatoly Levin; pianoforte – laureate of numerous international competitions, prize winner of the silver medal in the television competition “The Nutcracker” Varvara Kutuzova). December, 9 the Convention closed up with the divertissement of classical music performed by the string quartet “QuattroSound”.

The leadership of the Russian International Studies Association (RISA) headed by its president, full member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Anatoly Torkunov, as well as the Executive Board of RISA would like to thank the moderators and all participants of sections and round tables for the highest scientific and organizational level of performance during the X RISA Convention.

We are looking forward to welcoming you at the forthcoming RISA events!

Executive Board of RISA