Nearly 100 future development scenarios were presented at the II International Symposium "Inventing the Future"

---

The II International Symposium "Inventing the Future" concluded at the National Centre RUSSIA, bringing together more than 7,000 participants from 86 countries, including SCO and BRICS members, as well as nations from Europe, the United States, Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. Over 50.8 million people watched the events online. Representatives from every region of the Russian Federation took part. The key result of the Symposium was the development and visualisation of applied future development scenarios. Recognising its responsibility for the fate of the world, Russia took the initiative to design scenarios that can drive a global transformational shift. This is essential for sustainable development in various spheres: economic, technological, environmental, and social spheres.

At the opening ceremony, the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Russia and Deputy Chair of the Organising Committee of the National Centre RUSSIA, Maxim Oreshkin, read out a welcome address from the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin. The President emphasised that the future must be built on a sovereign worldview and through constant, bold, and innovative exploration, relying on the achievements of our predecessors and on historical, spiritual, and patriotic traditions.

Maxim Oreshkin also announced that the Symposium had become part of the global "Open Dialogue" ecosystem — a step that Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA, Natalia Virtuozova, highlighted as particularly important when summing up the results of the event.

"The II International Symposium 'Inventing the Future' has come to an end. This year, experts from 86 countries — from North and South America, Europe, Asia, and Africa — joined us. Thank you all for your great interest. Our Symposium is special: we brought together people from many creative fields — scientists, architects, artists. It’s a pity this grand event is ending, but there’s also reason for joy — Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Russia Maxim Stanislavovich Oreshkin announced that the Symposium will now be part of the global 'Open Dialogue' ecosystem," stressed Natalia Virtuozova.

The programme of the II International Symposium "Inventing the Future" included both an expert track and, for the first time, an open educational programme for the general public. It featured around 50 events: panel discussions, lectures, a scenario workshop, a strategic session, a project laboratory, workshops, debates with audience voting, and much more.

The extensive expert programme consisted of three thematic tracks — "Society", "Technology", and "Global Cooperation". Among the key events was the scenario workshop "Scenarios of the Future: At the Intersection of Science and Creativity". Its participants — science fiction writers, futurists, researchers, and representatives of creative industries — developed a bank of ideas and scenarios for the future. In total, around 100 forecasts and applied development scenarios were prepared, some of them visualised.

The "Society" track was one of the largest. Experts discussed social forecasting and design, social models of the future, and trust as a key resource for social development. Based on the discussions, a set of best practices in social design was compiled, and the most effective societal development scenarios were identified. Speaking at the session on social design, Alexander Kharichev, Head of the Presidential Directorate for Monitoring and Analysis of Social Processes of the Russian Federation, announced the creation of the Institute of Social Architecture in Russia:

"The Institute of Social Architecture will function like a design bureau, creating models based on forecasts while taking into account technological changes — in communication, social environments, and social groups. It will also focus on developing and implementing projects and designing models of social transformation," said Alexander Kharichev.

Continuing the discussion on cooperation between the state and public institutions, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation Andrei Fursenko shared his perspective.

"An important goal is to establish effective interaction between science, business, government, and, of course, education. Without such cooperation, progress is impossible," explained Andrei Fursenko. "The Russian Science Foundation plays a special role today in supporting scientific and technological projects. It funds fundamental and applied research at the intersection of science and business. Such cooperation and support are extremely important."

Experts of the "Society" track also discussed challenges in demography, population distribution, labour market development, art and media content of the future, and the creation of a new visual style for Russia.

The "Technology" track focused on the transfer of scientific developments to the real economy, artificial intelligence as a new "language of reality", and scenario planning in technology-intensive sectors. Physicists, mathematicians, and engineers made forecasts about the next generation of sensors, biomedical devices, and computing systems on the threshold of the second quantum revolution. Scientists, doctors, bioengineers, and AI developers assessed the potential of future biotechnologies that are already transforming medicine. Much attention was given to space exploration and the goals Russia sets for itself in this field.

The "Global Cooperation" track addressed changes in international relations. Representatives of several industries developed cooperation plans between Russia and the Global South in agriculture, nuclear energy, space exploration, and creative industries. Experts also formulated a shared vision for Russia–Africa partnership by 2063.

More than 260 specialists from various fields took part in the expert programme — government officials, business leaders, scientists and engineers, futurists and forecasters, public figures, representatives of culture and media, and young professionals.

The open programme attracted people of all ages and professions who care about the future of Russia and the world. Over two days, the Open Lecture Hall "Day of the Future Human" was in operation. Its speakers — visionaries, scientists, designers, and representatives of creative industries — shared their views on the changes the world is facing. For example, the prospects for the hospitality industry were presented by Brian Gleeson, CEO of the Radisson Collection Paradise Resort & Spa in Sochi. In his view, hotels will increasingly rely on technology to make services more personalised and convenient for every guest.

"In the hospitality industry of the future, the integration of artificial intelligence and technology for service personalisation will be key. Hotels will move to contactless check-in through mobile applications, while room infrastructure — lighting, climate, and service requests — will be automated. Technology will make it possible to create a unique experience for every guest, taking into account individual preferences in food, health, and leisure. Wellness tourism, educational programmes, and modular budget hotels are expected to grow. At the same time, traditional tourist destinations will remain, alongside the development of new regions for the hotel industry," explained Brian Gleeson.

The Symposium’s events sparked great interest among international experts and guests. Rodrigo Andres Quevedo Silva, President of the Chilean Robotics Association and an expert in artificial intelligence, bioengineering, and cybersecurity, shared his impressions: "This is my second time participating in the International Symposium, and I can see the high level of participants, speakers, and the topics discussed here. It seems to me that Russia is already living in the future. While many countries are still in the past, Russia is in the future."

Russia’s leadership in biotechnology was also noted by Yusef Khesuani, Co-founder and Managing Partner of the Solutions for 3D Bioprinting company: "In terms of the clinical application of 3D bioprinting, Russia has outpaced other countries, and this breakthrough took only two and a half years. Russia now has the greatest practical experience in the world — more than 40 patients already live with transplanted bioprinted constructs."

On the sidelines of the Symposium, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia signed cooperation agreements with the AST publishing house, ANO "National Priorities", and the charitable foundation "Contribution to the Future". The documents formalise collaboration within the framework of the Decade of Science and Technology in Russia. The projects will focus on promoting science fiction and advancing education in the field of artificial intelligence.

"The Decade of Science and Technology, announced by the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, is an unprecedented initiative bringing together numerous ministries, companies, and public organisations. The main goal of the Decade is to attract talented young people to research and development. Today, Russian science is among the youngest in the world — nearly every second scientist in the country is under 40. This is a unique situation, because 20 years ago there were far fewer young specialists in this field," said Denis Sekirinsky, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.

During the Symposium, the first Russian Science Fiction Literary Award ceremony took place. The winners were announced in four categories: "Work of Fiction", "Visual Image", "Translation", and "Publishing Project". The total prize fund amounted to 4 million roubles.

Among the standout events of the Symposium was the First Neurocontent Cup of the presidential platform "Russia — Land of Opportunity", supporting specialists who create relevant content for state and commercial organisations. School and university students took part in the quiz "History of the Future: Technologies of Science Fiction", held as part of the nationwide educational campaign marking the 100th anniversary of Arkady Strugatsky.

A lively atmosphere surrounded the public debates between techno-optimists and techno-pessimists, and between proponents of "protocol" and "creative" diplomacy. Young scientists presented their landmark projects and shared insights into their research at the event "Case Study: Projects and Innovations Changing the World". They told personal stories — not only about their achievements, but also about the doubts, unexpected turns, and moments that changed their professional paths. The open programme also included lectures on various topics, a gastronomic show "Food of the Future", and much more.

Throughout both days, the interactive robotics exposition drew large crowds. Visitors were greeted by a robot hostess, a robot artist, and the humanoid robot Ardi, while robot dogs and a robot cat demonstrated tricks. Guests could also try drone basketball and drone football. In the Gastronomic Rows zone, visitors were treated by a robot ice-cream maker, a robot barista, and robot waiters.

The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is organised on the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, under the auspices of the Decade of Science and Technology in Russia, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. The analytical partner was the VCIOM Analytical Centre, and the literary partner was the Eksmo-AST Publishing Group.