"The future of the world" begins with dialogue: Swiss analyst to visit Russia for the first time in 30 years for the Open Dialogue of the National Centre RUSSIA and SPIEF 2025

Swiss geopolitical analyst and journalist Lucy Morgan Edwards will present her vision of the importance of public communications on an international level at the National Centre RUSSIA. On June 16, the expert will take part in a press conference, dedicated to the presentation of the final report of the major international project of the National Centre RUSSIA — the Open Dialogue "The Future of the World. New Platform for Global Growth."

The report is based on essays submitted by participants of the Open Dialogue across four areas: investment in human capital, technology, connectivity, and environment. The National Centre RUSSIA received around 700 essays in 18 languages — from Pashto to Serbian.

The authors of the best essays took part in the Open Dialogue in person. They will also be among the speakers at the press conference at the National Centre RUSSIA, after which they will head to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, where a dedicated session on the final report of the Open Dialogue will be held.

For Lucy Morgan Edwards, this visit to Russia will be her first in 30 years. During the press conference at the National Centre RUSSIA, she will share her detailed perspective on the transformation of public communications in the modern world. According to the Swiss geopolitical analyst, the initiative of the National Centre RUSSIA goes far beyond traditional PR, offering a fundamentally new format for global engagement. The journalist will place particular emphasis on the role of digital technologies.

"My topic is the importance of public communications. I don’t see it as traditional PR — I see it, in fact, as Open Dialogue. It is essential, especially in the context of today’s technologies and geopolitical conditions. I applaud the National Centre for its initiative in launching such a dialogue for a broader, global audience, particularly for young people. I am very excited about travelling from Switzerland to Moscow, and then to St. Petersburg. As for the significance of the report that will be presented on Monday, I believe it promises to be a very interesting event. It is wonderful that the organisers of the Open Dialogue have taken into account the views and ideas of such a broad range of people — representatives of the Global South, the global majority, many countries of the world, and, most importantly, youth," said Lucy Morgan Edwards.

After the press conference, the geopolitical analyst will travel to St. Petersburg to take part in the session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum entitled "Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth," dedicated to the final report of the Open Dialogue. The session will be moderated by Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation, Maxim Oreshkin.

Participants will include the authors of the best essays from the Open Dialogue, whose ideas — along with those of all participants — formed the basis of the report "Shaping a New Platform for Global Growth":

— Naila Mehrabova, member of the Supervisory Board of the Azersun Holding (Azerbaijan);

— Yelizaveta Romanova, student of the Russian State Social University (Russia);

— Joseph Potvin, economist (Canada);

— Murat Dudarev, expert of the Committee on Small and Medium Enterprises of the State Duma of the Russian Federation;

— Juan Antonio de Castro de Arespacochaga, professor at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain);

— Francois Ndengwe, Chair of the African Advisory Board (Cameroon);

— Sergei Ivanov, Executive Director and member of the Board of Directors of the EFKO Group of Companies (Russia);

— Thiago Rudiger, CEO of the Tanssi Foundation (Brazil).

New experts will also join the SPIEF 2025 discussion, including:

— Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Chief Executive Officer of DP World;

— Tigran Khudaverdyan (Yandex, Russia);

— Yuri Kozarenko, CEO of Transport of the Future LLC (Russia);

— Eduard Mikhalas, Regional Adviser on Population and Development at the United Nations Population Fund;

— Vladimir Sedov, entrepreneur and initiator of the construction of Dobrograd (Russia).

— Dmitry Peskov, Chair of the Board of the NTI Foundation and Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Digital and Technological Development (Russia).

In response to numerous requests from international participants, the Open Dialogue of the National Centre RUSSIA will become an annual event. The second forum is scheduled to take place in Moscow in 2026. In addition, a dedicated platform — dialog.russia.ru — has been launched to enable online interaction among participants.

The livestream of the press conference on June 16 will be available on the website and social media pages of the National Centre RUSSIA.