The potential of the exposition and congress industry for international dialogue was discussed at the National Centre RUSSIA

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The plenary session "Speaking the Same Language" took place on June 11 at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the two-day celebrations dedicated to Global Exhibitions Day. In a live discussion format, experts explored how the exposition and congress industry can facilitate effective international dialogue across various spheres.

Participants discussed the global mission of expositions in today's world, how the event industry adapts to social, political and other changes, which types of expositions are most in demand today, and the role of the state in the development of the congress and exposition industry. The session was moderated by Dmitry Shchugorev, editor-in-chief at the Moscow 24 TV channel.

Using the International RUSSIA EXPO as an example, Olga Pilyavskaya-Binda, Adviser to the Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA, discussed how business and exposition events can set trends and generate new meanings.

"Without false modesty, I would say that the RUSSIA EXPO has probably changed the reality in terms of awakening pride, and now any exposition event is not just an exposition but a space of hope, dreams, and pride. And I believe this is the most significant transformation. Moreover, the Exposition has contributed to the development of a whole generation of professionals in the regions, as the trends we introduced allowed people to grow professionally. That is why the Exposition has also become a centre of attraction, of professional, business, and investment growth," said Olga Pilyavskaya-Binda.

Vladislav Barmichev, Director of the Department for Foreign Trade Regulation and the Development of the Trade Mission System at the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia, emphasised the unique ability of expositions to foster a sense of closeness and trust among participants:

"Expositions have a remarkable effect — they create an atmosphere of mutual understanding and unity. This helps to build strong connections, promote innovative products and technologies, and contributes to international cooperation and business development," said Vladislav Barmichev.

President of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs and CEO of ExpoForum-International Sergei Voronkov highlighted the strong link between the exposition movement and global transformations.

"The role of expositions and congresses has grown amid global changes, as they serve as focal points where, in a metaphysical sense, time and space become compressed, allowing for the achievement of goals in a very short time — goals that might otherwise take years and still remain unmet. We see that in countries now asserting themselves as global leaders, the percentage of contracts signed at expositions is twice as high as in countries experiencing regression," Sergei Voronkov emphasised.

One of the key tasks of the exposition and congress industry today is to nurture new market players, according to Anna Dycheva-Smirnova, Managing Director of ExpoVisionRus.

"The global mission of expositions has revealed itself over the past two years, when industry-specific expositions organised by our professional community helped to relaunch the economy. And now our role is to foster young entrepreneurs. Expositions must realise that we are nurturing these new market players, and with our support, successful connections and contracts, they should grow into multibillion companies. This is our mission — to help grow national production," said Anna Dycheva-Smirnova.

Victoria Agafonova, Deputy Director General for Exposition Activities at the National Exhibition Centre "BelExpo," noted that international cooperation in the exposition sphere not only fosters productive trade and economic relations, but also builds trust-based relationships in the business, cultural, and social fields, while also promoting national interests of the states involved.

"Each country possesses certain expertise and competencies based on its natural, climatic, historical, and other unique features. Every country, without exception, has something to share. And it is through this cooperation and interaction that a mechanism is realised: we exchange our strengths, experience, and competencies, present our achievements and results, and then move forward together to help one another reach even greater goals — including in the economic sphere. Export-oriented countries must collaborate so that our economies can grow and advance at a significant pace," concluded Victoria Agafonova.

 Events dedicated to the Global Exhibitions Day, which in 2025 is held under the motto "Speaking the Same Language," are taking place at the National Centre RUSSIA from June 10 to 11. Participants are viewing expositions as a universal language for communication and a platform for self-realisation. Last year, the celebration was held for the first time at the International RUSSIA EXPO.

The initiator of Global Exhibitions Day, First Vice-President of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs and Vice-President of ExpoForum-International Sergei Alexeyev, highlighted the global significance of the Russian exposition industry and emphasised the special role of the National Centre RUSSIA in the development of this important field.

The first day of the festive programme was aimed primarily at young professionals and those interested in pursuing a career in event organisation. Leading representatives of the industry shared with newcomers the knowledge and skills required for event professionals and how these competencies can be useful in everyday life.

The second day’s programme brought together industry professionals. Experts from various regions discussed the development of the event industry in Russia and shared best practices and strategies for the successful organisation of expositions, conferences, and other events.