16th BRICS Summit: Was 50-Events of Cultural Program Really Necessary?

A cultural program was prepared for guests of the 16th BRICS summit in Kazan. It included about 50 events, said the head of the Kazan executive committee Rustem Gafarov at a briefing following the summit.

“An extensive cultural program was prepared for the summit guests, including about 50 events. In the historic building of the Kazan City Hall, a classical program was presented for the heads of state at the end of the first day of the summit. The Moscow Symphony Orchestra under the direction of conductor Ivan Nikiforchin and the young violinist from Naberezhnye Chelny Luka Moromov took part,” Gafarov said.

Gafarov noted that on October 22, a gala concert with the participation of artists from the BRICS countries, as well as a show from Russian and Tatarstan fashion houses, was held at the Pyramid Cultural and Entertainment Complex. On October 23, Honored Artist of Tatarstan Elmira Kalimullina, opera singer Ildar Abdrazakov, accompanied by the State Academic Symphony Orchestra of Tatarstan under the direction of Alexander Sladkovsky, and others performed at the gala reception for the heads of state.

The 16th BRICS summit, which is the key event of the Russian Federation’s presidency of the association, was held in Kazan from October 22 to 24. On the second day of the summit, its participants adopted the Kazan Declaration. The main topics of the document include the development of the association, the position on global problems, and the settlement of regional crises, including in Ukraine and the Middle East.

The BRICS group was created in 2006 by Brazil, Russia, India, and China, with South Africa joining in 2011. Egypt, Iran, the UAE, and Ethiopia joined on January 1, 2024. The Kazan summit was the first in which they participated as full members.

The 16th BRICS Summit in Kazan is held primarily with the aim of the progressive development of the 16th BRICS Summit in Russia. At this summit, nearly a huge cultural program was done, numbering around 50 events which included a classical concert and a gala with Russian and Tatarstan artists and fashion shows that all intended to showcase cultural diversity. However, the scale and grandeur of the cultural lineup have led some to question whether resources might have been better directed towards the event’s main focus: strengthening BRICS and addressing pressing global issues.