The Zimbabwe Institute of Diplomacy is esteemed to join the Russian Federation, friends of the Russian Federation and the UN Fraternity in commemoration of 10 February, the Day of the Russian Diplomat. It’s 473 years since Russian diplomacy and the Russian diplomatic service were established. This date goes hand in glove with Russia’s contribution to International peace and security, International diplomacy, international economic relations and the liberation of both Europe and African countries.

On this day we recall the Soviet Union’s decisive contribution in the destruction of Nazism and Facsism in the Great Patriotic War and the subsequent creation of the United Nations.

Russian diplomacy came to the fore-front with the 1960 UN Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples. In that declaration,  World diplomacy together with Russian diplomacy came to a consensus that imperialism and colonialism had to come to an end. The declaration gave African countries breathing space and independence to play a major role in multilateral diplomacy. Many African countries, Zimbabwe included, are grateful for Russian diplomacy’s moral and material support for their liberation struggles.

We are convinced that we are celebrating the tireless work of men and women, past and present Russian diplomats who continue to work and contribute to global peace, security and development.