The XIV International Forum "Arctic: Present and Future" (named after A.N. Chilingarov) begins in St. Petersburg, Russia.
The two-day business program will include more than 45 events dedicated to discussing the achievement of national development goals in the Arctic. More than 400 speakers from various regions of Russia and foreign countries will deliver reports. There will also be a youth platform for participants of the educational project "Meeting of Generations", an exposition in memory of the founder of the forum Artur Chilingarov and an exhibition of advanced solutions for the development of the Arctic.
"The long history of these forums is of great importance for improving the quality of life of the population of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, the economic prosperity of the northern regions of the country, the development of the Northern Sea Route, and the protection of the national interests of the Russian Federation in the Arctic," said Nikolai Patrushev, aide to the president of the Russian Federation and chairman of the Maritime Board.
The government approved a list of strategically important Arctic settlements for ensuring security and logistics in the region. The list of sustainable development includes 16 city agglomerations and their master plans, taking into account the opinions of the northerners themselves.
Vice President for Federal and Regional Programs of PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel Andrey Grachev spoke about projects aimed at improving living conditions in the Russian North: "The president's instruction that it is necessary to bring the standard of living of Arctic residents to a level no lower than the Russian average is a task that is always relevant. It is a certain generalization of what we are doing."
"The main locomotive of economic development of the Arctic, its support are people who have decided to link their lives and destinies with the North," emphasized Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Gadzimagomed Guseinov.
Theodor Lisovoy, Managing Editor, Rough&Polished
