The relevance of the problem being studied is due to the need for a scientific analysis of the role of humanitarian cooperation in the “One Belt, One Road” project with regard to the increasing attention of its participants to cultural and humanitarian initiatives. The “One Belt, One Road” project is an original and unique one combining the format of multilateral and bilateral cooperation. The humanitarian cooperation within the framework of the project was considered by the authors mainly on the example of bilateral relations between the PRC and the Russian Federation, taking into account the new institutions, forms, and documents that emerged due to the large-scale “One Belt, One Road” project. The paper analyzes such areas as information and media, youth exchanges, intercultural dialogue, tourism, etc. Work with the narrative and documentary material of the study was carried out on the basis of various general scientific methods, according to the interdisciplinary nature of the topic. As the main research methods, we used semantic analysis and content analysis when referring to the main documents regulating the functioning of the “One Belt, One Road” project, and a systematic approach allowed us to formulate a comprehensive vision of the project in the system of modern international relations and show its role for understanding the global nature of international relations and the emergence of new leaders. Turning to the research material allowed the authors to note the special role of humanitarian interaction in international cooperation. It is obvious that humanitarian relations have an image-forming effect, contribute to creating a welcoming atmosphere, involve the widest audience of participants in cooperation, and contribute to the institutionalization and further development of the “Belt, Road” project. In the humanitarian dimension of a large-scale project, an urgent task – to preserve the cultural identity of the project participants, which is consistent with the fundamental initiatives of the UN and UNESCO – is being realized. The study concluded the following: despite the fact that the “One Belt, One Road” initiative was born as an international political and economic project, attention is currently being focused on cultural and humanitarian issues, which have become a new vector in the development of the “Belt-Road”. The authors also believe that the spheres of humanitarian cooperation in the “One Belt, One Road” project will develop further, enriched with new directions and forms.