The International School for Latin America Has Started Its Work at Samara University

On July 29, 2025, the International School for Latin America started its work in Samara. It is held by Samara University together with the RAS Institute of Latin America and A.M. Gorchakov Foundation for Public Diplomacy.

Young specialists from Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, State Corporation “Rostec”, academic institutes and public organizations – political scientists, sociologists, journalists from several Russian cities, as well as from Mexico and Brazil gathered at the University’s E.M. Primakov Centre, for discussing current trends in developing international relations between Russia and the countries of the Ibero-American world. The School participants were welcomed by Vladimir Bogatyrev, Rector of the University, Dmitry Rosenthal, Director of the RAS Institute of Latin America, Sergey Orlov, Deputy Executive Director of A.M. Gorchakov Foundation for Public Diplomacy, Marat Yuryev, Federal Inspector for the Samara Region, Dmitry Abramov, Head of the Department of Investment and Innovation Policy at the Ministry of Economic Development and Investment of the Samara Region.

Vladimir Bogatyrev stressed that Russia has rich traditions of cooperation with Latin America, “Our countries pay great attention to developing bilateral relations, even despite the current turbulent situation in world politics. In Latin American countries and Russia, there is a mutual demand for high-level specialists and high-tech products. Samara University contributes to strengthening with Latin America relations in the field of education. Future Ecuadorian, Peruvian and Colombian engineers, rocket and aircraft manufacturers are studying in our University’s bachelor’s and master’s degree programs”.

Mikhail Leonov, Vice-rector, Head of the Department of National History and Historiography, added, “We consider this School a very important project. For the first time, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Gorchakov Foundation for Public Diplomacy are holding a title-level Latin American School for postgraduates and students in the Samara Region. For us, this is an act of recognition of the level of training in the field of international relations. It took much time for us to approach towards this”.

There is a week of the School work ahead. The educational process will be led by the heads of the RAS Institute of Latin America: Dmitry Rosenthal, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Director of the Institute, Valery Morozov, Advisor to the Institute Director, Chairman of the Council of Veterans of Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Russia, Viktor Kheifets, Doctor of Historical Sciences, Professor at St. Petersburg State University’s Department of Theory and History of International Relations.

The School participants will get acquainted with current projects and promotions within which the interaction with partners in Latin America is implemented, learn about peculiarities of business etiquette and business interaction. Sergey Makarov and Yulia Kazanova, employees of the News Service of Russia Today’s Spanish Editorial Office, will share the methods of forming the perception of Russia in Latin American countries.

Following results of the School, its participants will present their projects for developing cultural, trade, economic, scientific and technical relations between Russian and Latin American partners and companies.

“I would like to see enthusiasts around those public organizations that have already been interacting with Latin America, interested in working in this heterogeneous region”, noted Dmitry Rosenthal.

Anna Portnova, Deputy Executive Director of the magazine “Russia in Global Affairs”, became one of the participants in the School, “I expect lively discussions about the Latin American region, expert assessments of the potential of cooperation between Russia and the countries of the region from leading experts in the field of Latin America. In my opinion, it is important to study every area of project activity, as Russia, its business, goods and culture are underrepresented in Latin American countries. It is important for us to see the potential for developing Russian presence in the region in a number of areas, and give our ideas on how to implement this potential”.

Photo by Elena Afanasyeva