HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE AND RENOVATION OF MULTICULTURAL EDUCATION IN RUSSIAN PEDAGOGICAL THOUGHT IN THE CONTEXT OF THE YEAR OF NATIONAL UNITY

Abstract

The designation of 2026 as the Year of National Unity brings to the fore the task of rethinking pedagogical strategies within the context of cultural diversity and new geopolitical realities. The purpose of this article is to conduct a historical-pedagogical analysis of the evolution of ideas relevant to the modern paradigm of multicultural education, as found in the legacy of Russian educators from the 18th to the 20th centuries. The methodological foundation is a retrospective analysis of theoretical views and practices aimed at managing cultural diversity in the Russian educational space. The study identifies key historical stages and contradictions in the development of corresponding approaches: from the imperial model of enlightenment and the 19th-century concept of narodnost to the Soviet system of international upbringing and the contemporary search for a balance between civic consolidation and ethnocultural pluralism. Based on this analysis, the author proposes a concept for renovating multicultural education, centered on the teacher’s multicultural-mediative competence. This competence is defined as the teacher’s integrative ability to foster an all-Russian civic identity, prevent and mediate intercultural conflicts, and critically counteract destructive informational influences. The article outlines specific vectors for integrating this competence into the teacher education system, including the development of a specialized study module, the application of person-centered developmental and contextual-network technologies, and partnership with the parent community. It is concluded that synthesizing historical experience with responses to modern challenges will transform multicultural education into an effective tool for strengthening civic solidarity and the sociocultural resilience of Russian society.