Twinning ties as a resource for strengthening the integration processes of the CIS states: cooperation between the twin cities of Russia and Belarus

The authors analyze the practice of implementing the agreement on the establishment of twinning relations signed between the cities of Murmansk and Minsk in 2014, based on the thesis that such international cooperation contributes to strengthening business communication, primarily in the field of economics, politics, public relations, and serves as a catalyst for investment in the economic sphere.Over the past years, international contacts in the cultural sphere seem to be the most productive, first of all, those cultural institutions whose activities are focused on children, adolescents and youth. The international cultural projects of public libraries, the collective of the Regional Palace of Culture and Folk Art named after S. M. Kirov, etc. are considered.The authors insist that the strategic goals of international cultural cooperation should be focused on joint international projects as a way of creating a new culture, this allows Russian cities and regions not only to expand the cultural boundaries of the territories participating in the interaction, but also to gain useful experience in the implementation of project ideas.