Formation of interethnic and interfaith harmony among youth in the framework of extracurricular work with students of Russian universities

Abstract

The article presents the results of an analysis of the activities of 201 Russian universities based on a survey in the information and analytical system “Monitoring” of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science regarding the strategic objectives of the country’s national and youth policy: harmonization
of interethnic (interethnic) relations, prevention of extremism and preventionof conflicts on national and religious grounds, increasing the level of interethnic (interethnic) and interfaith harmony among young people. It has been revealed that in the vast majority of universities, work aimed at harmonizing interethnic relations among students, as well as improving the quality of their adaptation
processes to new living and learning conditions, is underway. In 64.7% of the universities surveyed there is an International Friendship Club (IFC) or a community with a diff erent name, positioning itself in its activities as an IFC. The main attention in the activities of the IFC is paid to students who arrived
from other countries and, therefore, to building an interethnic dialogue at an international level. The problems of interethnic relations among students that represent the native peoples of Russia are addressed much less frequently. The theme of interfaith interaction is practically relevant. The activities carried out are focused mainly on the tasks of ensuring cross-cultural communications, as well as assistance to foreign students. It is concluded that universities have strong support for working on the harmonization of interethnic relations already, while in the context of an aggravated geopolitical situation, student organizations need to increase attention to the task of increasing the level of harmony among native peoples of Russia and strengthening the unity of the Russian nation.