A glimpse into the region’s future at the National Centre RUSSIA in Primorye

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The Open Lecture Hall "Inventing the Future: Pacific Breakthrough" was held at the National Centre RUSSIA in the Primorye Territory. The event brought experts together to discuss the unique synthesis of Russian identity, the Asian context and European traditions. The conversation about the country's future naturally began in the Far East: the Primorye Territory is the first to encounter new trends and is shaping processes that influence the development of the global economy, technology and creative industries. The Lecture Hall programme consisted of two discussion sessions in which speakers explored specific steps needed to achieve this cultural and urban breakthrough.

The first session, "Creative Breakthrough: Human Capital and the Urban Environment", focused on the Territory's greatest resource — people capable of retaining talent within the region and turning the Primorye Territory into the leading creative hub of Pacific Russia. Arina Okuntseva, coordinator of the large-scale historical horseback expedition "In the Footsteps of V.K. Arsenyev", spoke about developing a new generation of leaders through the example of the team's work in the taiga. The three-year project led by Fyodor Konyukhov proved a demanding challenge: eight participants completed an extremely difficult route entirely on horseback, wearing authentic early 20th-century explorers' clothing, while a 26-person support team took care of their day-to-day needs. The speaker noted that bringing ambitious ideas to life requires the courage to start small — at the beginning of the expedition, she herself could barely put up a tent. 

"Experience gained on difficult expeditions gives people the ability and readiness to make decisions in everyday life when circumstances change. It develops precisely the kind of flexible thinking that a person of the future needs. And love for one's region and the desire to make it better motivate us to look for new solutions, acquire new skills and sometimes create completely crazy projects. It is precisely crazy, innovative ideas that drive progress," emphasised Arina Okuntseva.

Continuing the discussion of human capital, architect Lilia Gizzyatova, Director of the Department for Realising the Socio-Economic Potential of Promising Territories at the autonomous non-profit organisation Investment Agency of the Primorye Territory, discussed the transformation of the urban environment. The conversation also touched on deeper social issues: the expert noted that problems such as teenage vandalism require not only attention from families but also well-designed planning solutions.

"Vladivostok currently faces a major challenge in that it does not have many large public spaces. Of the major parks, there is Pokrovsky Park and, in terms of size, only Mine Town Park. The rest consists of hills and somewhat undeveloped areas that need to be worked with. One potential that has not yet been fully realised is that many parks develop not through the space itself, but through programming. In principle, any area can be brought to life through activities: for example, a community could organise Nordic walking there in the mornings. This is the potential we need to develop more actively," noted Lilia Gizzyatova. 

The second session, "Gastronomic Breakthrough: A Synthesis of the Taiga, the Ocean and Three Cultures", explored the culinary phenomenon of the Primorye Territory as a key element of the creative economy. Yekaterina Shapovalova, author and head of the "Gastronomic Map of Russia" project, raised the issue of promoting local cuisine within the country, noting that over the past 30 years pizza has become commonplace for Russians while national dishes have turned into something exotic.

"Journalists ask, 'We need to go international.' But perhaps the 146 million citizens of the Russian Federation should first learn what Russian cuisine and the cuisines of the peoples of Russia are, including Far Eastern cuisine? And they should have the opportunity to try it absolutely everywhere: at a petrol station, in a university canteen, at school, in a kindergarten. In any tourist country, a person on the street can tell you where to go and what you absolutely have to try. At the moment, only one or two tourist restaurants contribute to a region's image here. International outreach is very good, but if our own citizens do not know and love their cuisine, no visitor will understand why they should love it. Supporting enthusiasts is a matter of national importance so that this does not become an endangered, 'Red Book' field. If we are talking about the future, what will our children eat?" said Yekaterina Shapovalova. 

Shakhlo Navruzova, chef at the Khekymgan restaurant, put theory into practice by demonstrating how Asian food technology can be used with local ingredients and offered professional commentary directly from the accompanying workshop: "Today we prepared our wonderful pollock with an Asian flavour while making sure to preserve our own identity. Our main local products are pollock and fern. They go perfectly together. We simply want to show residents and visitors to the Primorye Territory that pollock is not the product that people once failed to value at all. It is extremely healthy. We can and should eat food that is healthy, delicious, affordable and ours — grown and harvested here in the Primorye Territory."

The Open Lecture Hall "Inventing the Future" is an original project of the National Centre RUSSIA that premiered in Moscow on 7 February 2026. The event is designed to bring together leading Russian and international experts to develop positive scenarios for the future and maintain dialogue with the global professional community across various areas of society.

As a reminder, all expositions and events at the National Centre RUSSIA in the Primorye Territory are free of charge. Some events require advance registration on the website. Follow schedule updates on social media and in the "Events" section of the Centre's website.

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