On June 8, 2021, ELCIR Bishop Ivan Laptev attended a meeting of the Interethnic Relations Council under the Governor of Leningrad Oblast. The main topic of the meeting gathered on the occasion on the recently celebrated 222nd anniversary of the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin and UN Russian Language Day was support of Russian language studies in foreign countries, in particular, by providing textbooks and manuals to educational institutions.“We see interethnic relations, interethnic policy, and establishing friendly relations as very important work. The way we do it will affect peace and tranquility not only in our region, Leningrad Oblast, but in the entire Russian Federation and the world. Our main task is to be friends,” said Leningrad Oblast Governor Aleksandr Drozdenko to the meeting.
The Interethnic Relations Council under the Governor of Leningrad Oblast is a standing advisory consultative body. The Council’s purpose is to facilitate interaction of local and federal authorities with civil society organizations, scientific and other institutions in discussing matters related to the implementation of the governmental interethnic policy of the Russian Federation in Leningrad Oblast.