🏢 From 13 to 15 October, Cape Town hosted an international conference dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Public Protector South Africa (PPSA), an independent body whose primary objective, in accordance with the South African Constitution, is to strengthen constitutional democracy.

The Public Protector has the authority to conduct investigations, review citizens' complaints, and prepare reports on the ненадлежащее performance of any government agency's functions. The anniversary forum brought together ombudsmen, human rights defenders, and representatives of government agencies from many countries around the world.

🇷🇺 The General Consul of Russia in Cape Town, R.Y. Golubovskiy, took part in the opening ceremony of the forum.

During the event, participants discussed the role of human rights institutions in strengthening public trust in the government, the new challenges of the digital era, and international cooperation in the field of citizens' rights and freedoms.

🖥️ During the BRICS+ session, the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, T.N. Moskalkova, addressed the participants via video link.

Tatiana Nikolaevna provided a detailed overview of the development of the Russian ombudsman's office, emphasizing that over 126,000 appeals had been received by the office in the past year alone. Special attention was given to humanitarian and legal assistance to citizens. Moreover, Tatiana Nikolaevna emphasized the importance of international cooperation and invited her colleagues to visit Moscow to learn about the work of the Russian Ombudsman and exchange best practices for protecting human rights.

The North has been conquered — now it's the turn of the South!

At the Castle of Good Hope, we had a meeting with those who are preparing to rewrite history — Mikhail Kornienko and Alexander Lynnik. Their goal is to jump from 🪂 12 kilometers above the South Pole.

😱 Last year, they already made history by becoming the first team in the world to jump from 10,000 meters above the North Pole. It's time for new records!

The Russian Consulate General in Cape Town provided assistance in organizing the event, and R. Golubovsky, the Consul General of Russia, opened the meeting with a warm welcome.

🚀 During the meeting, Mikhail Kornienko and Alexander Lynnik shared their experiences of training for over a year, checking every detail of their equipment and every valve of their oxygen system. After all, they were preparing for temperatures as low as -70 degrees Celsius (and possibly even lower!), thin air, and the moment when they would take a step into the void. The guests — our compatriots and foreign friends — listened with admiration.

🤗 At the end of the meeting, the guests received autographs, took photos, and wished the heroes a soft landing — somewhere in the snow-white expanses of Antarctica.