On November 7-8, 2026, the 18th Conference of the Coordinating Council of the Associations of Russian Compatriots of Italy was held at the Russian House in Rome.
The event was attended by the most active representatives of organizations and associations of Russian compatriots from various cities in Italy.
Russian Ambassador to Italy A.V. Paramonov addressed the participants in a welcome speech:
These are difficult times in the world, and era changes are being observed in the international arena. New centers of power, new countries and entire regions are rising to the forefront of world development, fighting to build a more just world order, in which Western countries will not have the right to dictate their terms to everyone.
Our country is under enormous pressure, new sanctions packages are introduced, and the anti-Russian rhetoric of Western countries has become unprecedentedly harsh, and they continue to talk about "our strategic defeat".
In the year of the unity of the peoples of Russia, we all understand that unity is what allows us to build together a strong and sovereign state, where every nation feels part of one family. Unity in the face of challenges and joint creation is the key to Russia's prosperity and the well-being of future generations.
Of course we are aware of the conditions under which we must work. But the fact remains - both the leadership of our country and our Foreign Ministry never get tired of repeating it - Russia is not going to fight with anyone, and has no aggressive or expansionist ambitions.
Traditionally, the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), which has more than 100 congregations throughout Italy, plays an important role in the lives of our compatriots. Against the background of how other countries treacherously and purely for political reasons ban Christian sects, the Russian Orthodox Church continues to serve as a reliable support and support, an unshakable moral guideline for our co-religionists both in Russia and abroad.