Professor Anna Vassilieva, Founder and Director of the Graduate Initiative in Russian Studies, participated in a roundtable discussion on the value of educational exchanges in fostering mutual understanding and productive discourse between Russians and Americans.
This panel took place as part of the Fort Ross Dialogue, an annual forum organized by the Fort Ross Conservancy, co-hosted by Stanford University’s Preventive Defense Project and the Stanford U.S.-Russia Forum, and in partnership with the Kennan Institute.
At the Fort Ross Dialogue, Russians and Americans evaluate opportunities for improved educational and professional collaboration, as well as prospects for trust and understanding in the midst of a challenging political atmosphere. This particular panel focused on the power of educational exchange programs to promote these goals, particularly in their ability to strengthen personal ties and inspire empathy across culture. Other participants in this panel included renowned experts such as Dan Davidson, President of American Councils for International Education; Kathryn Stoner, Senior Fellow at Stanford University; Victoria I. Zhuravleva of the Russian State University for the Humanities; and Anton Fedyashin of American University.