Extracts in English from the official website of President of Russia
We must remember the lessons of the past. It is important to restore unity in our history, heal the wounds and reject the fissures and intolerance that we inherited from past eras so that society can advance in a confident and harmonious way. This way of obtaining peace through mutual brotherly forgiveness was shown to us by the Moscow Patriarchate and the Russian Orthodox Church abroad, which signed the Act of Canonical Communion in 2007.
In its selfless mission, the Russian Orthodox Church knows no national boundaries. Its canonical territory extends beyond Russia.
Today, we see how traditional values are already being eroded in many countries, causing the degradation of the institution of the family, mutual alienation in society and the depersonalisation of individuals. Indifference and apathy, and the loss of moral reference points encourage radicalism, xenophobia and religiously-motivated conflicts. Self-destructive egoism turns into aggressive nationalism.
Let me repeat: the world is rapidly changing and going through a very complicated stage. This country is inextricably linked to global processes and trends. We must strive to be leaders in technology, the economy and knowledge in the broadest sense of the word in order to ensure the wellbeing and security of our citizens. Indicatively, more and more people are looking at Russia as a bearer of immutable traditional values and a healthy human lifestyle.
I am convinced that to adequately address the challenges of the future we must uphold justice and truth, preserve our distinctive character and identity and rely on our culture, history and spiritual values. We must move forward, absorbing everything new and advanced, while remaining forever Russia.