Maxim Oreshkin: "More than 1,500 essays have been submitted for Open Dialogue 2026"

More than 1,500 essays from 100 countries have been submitted as part of the preparations for the second Open Dialogue. The flagship event will traditionally take place in April. This was announced following the January Expert Dialogues by the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation and Deputy Chair of the Organising Committee of the National Centre RUSSIA, Maxim Oreshkin.

"In 2026, the Open Dialogue will become a series of events, while the flagship event, as before, will be held in April and will bring together experts from around the world. Over the course of several months, engaged individuals sent us their essays, sharing ideas on how to make life in the world better. We received more than 1,500 essays from over one hundred countries. As always, expert analysis of this large body of material will be carried out. The authors of the most interesting and unexpected works will be invited to Moscow so that, in an expanded format, we can discuss new, innovative ideas and proposals," Maxim Oreshkin said.

The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation summed up the results of the first January Expert Dialogues and emphasised that the event was dedicated to discussing the future, preparations for it, and the steps that need to be taken to ensure that this future is positive — for states, companies and, above all, for people, contributing to an improved quality of life.

Experts who delivered lectures throughout the day also shared their reflections on the outcomes of the first January Expert Dialogues. Dr Selina Neri, Co-Founder and Rector of the Future Readiness Academy and Visiting Professor at the SKOLKOVO School of Management, described the event as historic.

"You have succeeded in creating a format that did not exist before. Today, it is important for people not simply to hear reassuring forecasts, but to calmly and honestly discuss what is happening and what lies ahead. Such a conversation is very much needed and timely. During the preparation and my participation, I learned a great deal and gained a lot from working with you. I would very much like this dialogue to continue," Selina Neri shared.

The January Expert Dialogues brought together experts from various fields and an engaged audience, noted writer, President of the Chinese Science Fiction Writers Association and co-author of the bestseller "AI 2041", Chen Qiufan. According to him, it was precisely this human-centred and inclusive nature of the Open Dialogue that made it possible to discuss the future through different images and meanings.

"The National Centre RUSSIA is a wonderful venue for the January Expert Dialogues. There is an excellent audience here and strong experts — everything came together very harmoniously. During my lecture, I was asked genuinely interesting and high-quality questions, and not only about technology. People are concerned about technological change and about what needs to be done to avoid traps and not fall victim to the pitfalls of geopolitics, conflicts and other challenges," Chen Qiufan added.

As part of the January Expert Dialogues, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation, Maxim Oreshkin, presented five megatrends that are already shaping the trajectory of global development for the coming decades. These are "The New Global Economic Paradigm: Globalisation 2.0", "Platformisation of the Global Economy and a New Level of Autonomy", "The Decline of Traditional Finance", "The Demographic Catastrophe after the Population Peak", and "Human Transformation in a New Technological Era".

Throughout the day, lectures by leading international experts were held, exploring each of these megatrends in detail. In addition, podcast recordings for "Open Dialogue on Air" took place and will become available for listening in the near future.

The January Expert Dialogues are part of the Open Dialogue event cycle. The initiative was launched by the National Centre RUSSIA in partnership with the Centre for Cross-Industry Expertise "The Third Rome", with the support of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation.