Public activity

Yuri Shafranik is a strong supporter of public diplomacy

He is one of the main driving forces and organizers of many international business councils and expert committees whose focus is on re-establishing and developing the relations with various foreign states. Over his long career in the energy sector and other industries and businesses, Yuri Shafranik gained wide recognition and respect in professional circles and for his hard work he has been awarded an Order of Friendship of Peoples.

Public diplomacy should be the vector that would allow to create cooperation formats necessary for finding the common ground. It should build bridges rather than create obstacles, since its purpose is not to vilify other international players but to create an objective view of our own country.

Yuri Shafranik strongly believes that even where there are political underpinnings, everything still takes place through communication between people. He explains: "Even when a project is good, even when every political aspect is dialed in, the project is still done by people. And it is no coincidence, especially when a country is non-homogenous in terms of its geography, mentality, even culture, that the factor of utmost importance is people – people above all else."

According to Shafranik, public diplomacy is invaluable for building relationships, for establishing a dialogue in a common language, and for the mutual desire to implement joint business projects.

Since 2015, Yuri Shafranik has been a member of the Russian International Affairs Council, an academic and diplomatic analytical center that operates as a non-profit. Its primary purpose is to promote peace, friendship, and solidarity between the peoples of different nations. The Council's members are working to prevent new international conflicts and to resolve ongoing conflicts and crises.