Aina Mezhieva: Creative Industries Can Become a Tool for Russia–Africa Partnership

The recently held 2nd Global Digital Forum and the upcoming Russia–Africa Summit share a focus on the practical application of technology and the development of international partnerships. Aina Mezhieva, an associate professor at the Russian State University for the Humanities (RSUH), PhD in Political Science, and municipal deputy for Moscow’s Tverskoy District, spoke to the IT Russia media platform about prospects for cooperation between Russia and African countries in the creative industries, preserving cultural heritage and using digital tools to develop creative businesses.

– The Global Digital Forum, recently held in Moscow, and the upcoming Russia–Africa Summit share a common focus on applying technology in practical ways to support economic development and international partnerships. The creative industries, which bring together culture, entrepreneurship and digital tools, could become a promising area for cooperation. The creative economy helps create jobs, develop new skills and support entrepreneurial initiatives. Work with cultural heritage also plays an important role: traditional crafts and artistic practices are finding new applications in design, fashion and other contemporary fields. This helps preserve cultural identity while creating products that appeal to modern audiences. Digital tools offer new ways to promote these products and introduce international audiences to different countries’ cultures. For Russia and African countries, this creates opportunities for joint initiatives in design, education and creative entrepreneurship.

One example is the exhibition Obrazy transformatsii [Images of Transformation: Art of Tropical Africa – ed. note], currently on display at the RSUH Museum Center. Projects like this offer insight into the richness and coherence of African civilization and showcase the diversity of artistic traditions across the peoples of Tropical Africa, from expressive wood sculpture and decorative arts to ritual masks and costumes. In these traditions, aesthetics are inseparable from religious beliefs, social relations and traditional ways of organizing community life.

Cultural exchange can complement technological and economic cooperation by building new connections between professionals and businesses. For such initiatives to deliver practical results, platforms are needed to bring together businesses, creative professionals, educational institutions and government. Creative industries can thus become an additional tool for Russia–Africa cultural and humanitarian cooperation, combining cultural heritage with modern technology, entrepreneurship and new economic opportunities.