Maria Zakharova: the III International Symposium "Inventing the Future" has brought together participants from 109 countries

Maria Zakharova, Director of the Information and Press Department and Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, outlined the programme of the III International Symposium "Inventing the Future" and the role of ministry representatives in it. The event is being held on 12–13 November at the National Centre RUSSIA and brings together more than 8,000 participants from 109 countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America. Over the two days, people from different continents will work together to develop positive scenarios for the future. The event was organised on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, as part of the Decade of Science and Technology.

At a briefing on current foreign policy issues, Maria Zakharova noted that the Symposium was being held for the third time with support from Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"This year, the Symposium will bring together participants from 109 countries. These include Germany, Greece, India, Egypt, China, Colombia, the United States, Ethiopia, Ecuador, South Africa and many others. The Symposium programme will include three thematic tracks — 'Human and Values', 'Progress' and 'Culture and the Arts'. This year, we are also placing particular emphasis on events for young people. Young people will take part in the Symposium on an equal footing with experts. School pupils, university students and young professionals will help shape the future in their own right and will be able to put forward their ideas and projects for discussion," said the Spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry.

Representatives of the Russian Foreign Ministry took part in the I and II International Symposia "Inventing the Future". Sergei Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, spoke at the event in 2024. This year's participants are expected to include Alexander Alimov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, and Igor Alexeyev, First-Class Counsellor at the Russian Foreign Ministry, who promotes public understanding of diplomacy and hosts intellectual events. Alexander Alimov and Igor Alexeyev will serve as expert and moderator, respectively, at a diplomacy tournament for senior school pupils and university students. The game will focus on international relations, the history of Russian foreign policy, culture, traditions and the future of Russian diplomacy.

The Symposium programme includes more than 40 events. Particular attention is being paid to events for young people. Senior school pupils and university students will take part in public talks, science stand-up talks, an intellectual tournament and a case study contest. The Symposium will also feature interviews, visionary sessions, a technology show, film screenings, practical training sessions on personal development, the II Museum Congress, the International Film Project Pitching session, the presentation of the II Russian Science Fiction Literary Award and many other events.

The Gaming Lobby "Gaming Session of the Future" will open at the Symposium and introduce participants to the world of Russian computer games. It will host presentations, open discussions with games industry experts, a podcast recording and large-scale team contests. The project will bring together young people, experts and game developers.

The Symposium's experts include statespeople, scientists, futurists and representatives of culture, the arts, the media and public organisations, among others. Russian speakers will include Maxim Oreshkin, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Russia, Valery Fedorov, Director General of the VCIOM Analytical Centre and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Mass Communications at the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Konstantin Ernst, Director General of Channel One JSC, Alexei Goreslavsky, Director General of the ANO "Internet Development Institute", Svetlana Bondarchuk, entrepreneur, creator of the programme "Sveta Around the World" and founder of the Action! charitable foundation, Sergei Lukyanenko, science fiction writer, screenwriter, board member of the Union of Writers of Russia and member of the Civic Chamber of Russia, Andrei Zolotaryov, creative producer at "NMG Studio", screenwriter and showrunner, and Laura Dzhugelia, journalist, interviewer, media executive and blogger.

One of the Symposium's main outcomes will be the formation of a community committed to continuing international dialogue and cooperation and developing positive scenarios for the future together. To support this, a dedicated app for communication and networking will be launched during the Symposium.