Greetings to XVII Russian-Finnish Cultural Forum 2016-09-30 10:00:00 Vladimir Putin sent his greetings to the XVII Russian-Finnish Cultural Forum. The message reads, in part: “You forum, which brings together representatives of government agencies, NGOs, schools, research centres and creative associations, is a major element of public life in Russia and Finland that helps address many current issues on the bilateral agenda. The theme of this year’s forum – children and young people as the cultural resource and cultural capital of the future – is particularly important. Introducing young people to cultural and spiritual values has always been considered a very important task in Russia. I am confident that the Russian participants will share their achievements in this area and will be glad to gain access to the experience of their Finnish colleagues. I hope that this joint project will help strengthen Russian-Finnish relations and therefore preserve and build on the traditions of friendship and mutual respect between our nations.”