At the Round Table on humanitarian cooperation held during the II BRICS Forum Traditional Values, parliamentarians and leaders of public initiatives discussed current priorities for joint humanitarian action. A progress report on the international platform Volunteers of Peace was presented by Dmitry Kuznetsov, Member of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and founder of the platform.
“Today, the platform brings together more than 70 volunteer projects from over 15 countries. We focus on the most acute crisis situations and respond where help is needed first. As an international volunteer movement, Volunteers of Peace is growing every day,” he noted.
“Today, the platform brings together more than 70 volunteer projects from over 15 countries. We focus on the most acute crisis situations and respond where help is needed first. As an international volunteer movement, Volunteers of Peace is growing every day,” he noted.
During the session, concrete humanitarian projects were presented, including educational initiatives for children in the favelas of Brasilia by Daniel Jezini, as well as three medical missions to Africa led by Ekaterina Glock.
Special attention was given to the international program “Support for Children in Crisis Situations – 2026”, which brings together specialists and volunteers from Russia, Brazil, India and Ethiopia to develop and implement effective methods of assistance for children with post-traumatic stress disorder.
In addition, Nikolai Tolpinsky, initiator of African humanitarian projects and Head of the Volunteers of Peace platform, outlined the practical experience of implementing volunteer missions in complex humanitarian environments. He emphasized the importance of systematic coordination, knowledge transfer and joint planning, noting:
“Exchange of experience is a key tool for improving effectiveness and preventing mistakes. It is essential to build not just a platform, but a large team of like-minded partners, as international volunteering involves challenges that are difficult to overcome alone.”
“Exchange of experience is a key tool for improving effectiveness and preventing mistakes. It is essential to build not just a platform, but a large team of like-minded partners, as international volunteering involves challenges that are difficult to overcome alone.”
This cooperation reflects a shared understanding among BRICS countries that humanitarian engagement is not an abstract ideal, but a practical responsibility grounded in common values and mutual respect. Building trust through joint action creates a sustainable foundation for long-term international solidarity.
Boris Tarasov, Founder and Leader of the BRICS Entrepreneurs Alliance, proposed establishing permanent cooperation between the Alliance and Volunteers of Peace.
One of the key outcomes was the signing of a Declaration on the development of joint humanitarian initiatives and assistance to children in crisis situations, endorsed by representatives of Russia, Brazil, India, Ethiopia, South Africa and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.