PHL Embassy Donates Books to Top Russian Universities

Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta turns-over books to Prof. Ekaterina Koldunova of the ASEAN Centre MGIMO University (left photo) and Dr. Elena Frolova of the Institute of Asian and African Studies of the Moscow State University on 7 and 8 December 2017, respectively.

12 December 2017 MOSCOW – As part of the Embassy’s continuous effort to promote the Philippines in the Russian academic community, Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta donated books on Philippine literature and history to the ASEAN Centre of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO) University and Institute of Asian and African Studies of the Moscow State University (IAAS-MSU) on December 7 and 8, respectively.

The book collection, mostly novels by National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose, came from the Office of the President.

“The Philippines and Russia are at an important stage of their relationship. Cooperation is expanding in an unprecedented scale and speed. To sustain this well into the future, the relationship must be founded on real mutual understanding at the people-to-people level, especially the youth. I trust that by introducing more and more young Russians to Philippine literature, we can hasten this process. I am very pleased that the ASEAN Center in MGIMO University are helping us in this regard,” Ambassador Sorreta stated.

Established in 1956, the IAAS-MSU is Russia’s premier institution for the study of Asian and African languages and cultures, including the Philippines’. The Philippine Studies Program was established in 1975 in preparation for the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and then Soviet Union. In the past 61 years, the IAAS-MSU has produced diplomats, philologists, and political scientists with profound understanding of eastern and African cultures.

The ASEAN Centre in MGIMO University was established in 2009 with the task to promote public awareness of ASEAN and its relations with Russia, people-to-people contacts, and academic research on various areas aimed at fostering the dialogue partnership. The Embassy of the Philippines, in its capacity as Chair of the ASEAN Moscow Committee, currently sits in the Centre’s Executive Board. END

For more information, visit www.moscowpe.dfa.gov.ph.

Amb. Carlos Sorreta provides an overview of F. Sionil’s body of work to the students of Institute of Asian and African Studies of the Moscow State University.