MOSCOW, Nov 13 Valdai International Discussion Club signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Emirates Political Center (EPC), the press service of the Russian analytical center reported.
«On the thirteenth of November, on the sidelines of the IX Annual Abu Dhabi Strategic Dialogue, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai International Discussion Club and the Political Center of the Emirates (EPC). The Chairman of the Council of the Valdai Club Foundation took part in the signing on behalf of the Valdai Club «Andrey Bystritsky, and from the side of the EPC — the president of the political center of the Emirates Ebtesam Al-Ketbi,» Valdai said in a press release.
According to the discussion club, «the purpose of the agreement is to create conditions for building an effective and trusting dialogue between scientific and expert communities, as well as public organizations in Russia, the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states.»
Memorandum of Cooperation, according to the press release, it also provides for the development of cooperation «in the study of national, regional and global issues through holding joint events, exchanging visits of representatives of the intellectual elite, launching bilateral projects, preparing and exchanging research materials.»
Valdai International Discussion Club «- an association of leading foreign and Russian experts in the field of political science, economics, history and international relations. The club was created in September 2004 on the initiative of the agency, the Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, the Moscow Times newspaper, Russia in Global Affairs and Russia Profile magazines. The club owes its name to the place of the first conference, which took place in Veliky Novgorod near Lake Valdai.
Valdai is one of the world's leading platforms for interaction between the Russian and international intellectual and political elite.