Foreign participants of the "Inventing the Future" Symposium spoke about their favorite books

When we were young, we all had books that particularly impressed and shaped us as individuals. On the eve of the International Symposium "Inventing the Future," which will be the first event of the National Centre RUSSIA, the foreign guests spoke about the literary works that became the main source of inspiration for them.

Head of the Geopolitical Observatory for Russia's Key Issues - G.O.R.K.I. Centre of the St. Petersburg State University, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria Karin Kneissl has a special fondness for the book "The Prophet" by Lebanese-American poet and writer Gibran Khalil Gibran.

"If I remember correctly, I came across this book in 1982, someone had left it in my mother's apartment. I opened it and was fascinated by every sentence. Like many Lebanese, Gibran traveled between East and West, and his wise words brought these worlds together in a most original way. For me, this poet was first and foremost a man with a free mind and a great soul who felt at home in many cultures," said Karin Kneissl.

Rodrigo Andrés Quevedo Silva, President of the Chilean Robotics Association, speaks enthusiastically about Papelucho, the protagonist of a series of children's books created by Chilean writer Marcela Paz.

"The way the protagonist deals with problems with humor and optimism has been a source of inspiration and dedication to fields such as exploration and robotics for me. His worldview, full of questions and keen observations, made me think of the way curiosity can be a driving force for learning," said Rodrigo Andrés Quevedo Silva.

José Cordeiro, a futurologist and engineer from Spain, read many science fiction books as a child, and his favorite author was Jules Verne.

"'Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas,' 'Journey to the Centre of the Earth,' and 'From the Earth to the Moon' are truly immortal books. They inspired me to think big and out of the box, to consider different possibilities, to open my mind to things that seem impossible today, but could become a reality tomorrow. The science fiction of today is the reality of tomorrow. For example, Jules Verne predicted modern submarines, told us about underground worlds and civilizations," noted José Cordeiro.

Some guests not only spoke about the books that inspired them, but also expressed their desire to present their favorite works as a donation to the future library of the National Centre RUSSIA.

"I recalled two books that I particularly liked when I was very young. Both of them belonged to my grandfather, so, they are quite old. One of them, I think, is well known in Russia. It's Jack London's 'The Call of the Wild' and the other is 'The Empire Yearbook for Boys' by the British theologian and writer Augustus Buckland. Both editions are rare, but I will be happy to take them with me and present them to your library," said John Durrant, Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in Canada.

On July 1, 2024, President Vladimir Putin signed an order to establish the National Centre RUSSIA to preserve the legacy of the RUSSIA EXPO and showcase the country's achievements on a permanent basis.

From November 4 to 6, the National Centre RUSSIA will host the International Symposium "Inventing the Future. " The participants will include scientists and researchers, futurologists and forecasters, science fiction writers, and representatives of the authorities.

The Symposium will become a unique international platform for open dialog, where the scenarios of human development and global challenges of our time will be discussed. The program includes more than 60 events in four areas: the future of human, the future of technology, the future of the multipolar world and the future of civilization.

The event will be attended by scientists, futurologists, government and business representatives from more than 40 countries, including Austria, Argentina, India, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, and others.

The Symposium program is published on the website https://future.russia.ru/. Broadcasts of the events will also be available there during the days of the Symposium.

As part of the opening of the Symposium, an exposition will be launched that will support the idea of a human-centric dialogue about the future of the world. The exposition will allow each visitor to realize the importance of personal contribution to the future.