Union of Soviet Societies for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries

VOKS (an acronym for the Russian Vsesoiuznoe Obshchestvo Kul'turnoi Sviazi s zagranitsei — Всесоюзное общество культурной связи с заграницей, All-Union Society for Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries), or the Society of Cultural Relations with the Soviet Union, was an entity created by the government of the Soviet Union (USSR) in 1925 to promote international cultural contact between writers, composers, musicians, cinematographers, artists, scientists, educators, and athletes of the USSR with those of other countries. The organization conducted tours and conferences of such cultural workers. Although of Soviet origin, VOKS was in fact an international organization, with parallel national branches around the world, such as the American Society for Cultural Relations with Russia (established 1926) and the Society for Polish-Soviet Friendship (established 1944). VOKS was frequently criticized by Western government officials, public intellectuals, and the press for functioning as a de facto communist propaganda organization. VOKS was restructured and renamed in 1958, replaced by a new friendship organization known as the Union of Soviet Societies for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries, which continued to exist until 1992. Organizational history Establishment and structure