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IMBRICS Forum Russia unites speakers from Turkey, China and Brazil

On August 27–28, 2024, Moscow hosted the IMBRICS FORUM — the VI International Municipal Forum of the BRICS Countries.

The event has become an important platform for exchanging experiences and ideas between representatives of regional and municipal governments from the BRICS countries. It also helped build effective business communications with entrepreneurs from Russia and other partner countries.

The forum included a round table discussion on the role of extracurricular education and international cooperation in children’s and youth education. Experience of BRICS cities and municipalities, which was devoted to discussing issues of children’s and youth recreation in camps, as well as extracurricular education. The event was attended by representatives of legislative and executive bodies of state power in Russia, heads of Russian and foreign children’s camps and non-profit organizations. In particular, the event was attended by Boris Chernyshov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Natalya Agre, Director of the Department of State Policy in the Sphere of Education, Supplementary Education and Children’s Recreation of the Ministry of Education of Russia, Sandra Goulart Urioste, Director of English Camp (Brazil), Fahrettin Gozet, President of the Canadian NGO International Camping Fellowship (ICF) Fahrettin Gozet (Turkey) and Nie Aijun, President of the Board of The Institute for Camp Education in China . The speakers delivered reports, shared their experience in organizing the area of activity under consideration, and discussed existing initiatives to expand the activities of the camp movement and extracurricular education, including in the BRICS countries.

The particular focus was on the Turkish speaker Fahrettin Gozet, who delivered a report on “Collaborative Initiatives Among BRICS Countries: Strengthening Youth Engagement”. In his report, he noted ICF as a key participant in strengthening cooperation between youth camps around the world, including the BRICS countries, whose mission is to strengthen youth engagement through joint initiatives. He explained how ICF programs and initiatives create opportunities for cooperation among BRICS countries in the field of youth engagement, using the strengths and resources of its international network. Fahrettin Gozet also gave examples of cooperation carried out with the assistance of ICF, such as a partnership between Russian and South African camps aimed at developing leadership skills and cultural exchange, promoting the involvement of youth across borders.

As a result, the participants agreed on further interaction with each other, the implementation of joint projects aimed at developing extracurricular education.

September 5, 2024
136 countries and territories have confirmed participation in SPIEF 2024.

So far, 17,100 people and 3,400 representatives from 136 countries including Turkey have confirmed their participation in SPIEF.

The organizers of the Forum note that participation indicators have reached pre-Covid levels: the period of restoration of economic activity is over, and the Forum is in a growth phase. As a communication tool, it is in demand by the global business community.

Today, SPIEF is one of the sovereign centers for the development of Europe, which is a historical restructuring that implements the mission of maintaining the global balance of power and building a multipolar international system. It also provides conditions for development based on the continental and constructive development of the day, dictated by the national interests of the Russian Federation. The forum has become a full-fledged institute for national growth.

The business program covers a wide range of issues: from the development of international economic relations and technological transformations to priority science research the studies of the modern society. The headline of the 27th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is “The basis of multipolarity causes the growth of new centers.”

On the eve of SPIEF, several conferences are held annually in different countries. This year, the final session took place in the capital of the Republic of Costa Rica – San Jose. The location was not chosen by chance – it was Costa Rica that became the first country in Central America to establish official diplomatic contacts with Russia back in 1872. Over the more than 150-year history of relations, a strong bond has been established between the two governments.

In Russia, the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum will be held from June 5 to 8.

June 1, 2024
More than 5,000 participants daily: World Youth Festival gathers speakers from Turkey, Brasil, India, Thailand

The path to a multipolar world, self-realization of youth for the sake of the future and Russia’s openness to a dialogue with all countries are the main agenda highlights of the educational marathon Knowledge.First, which was held from March 2 to 6 on the sidelines of the World Youth Festival in Sochi. Over five days, 137 lecturers shared their knowledge with young leaders from 188 countries, of which 20 were representatives of Austria, Afghanistan, Brazil, Germany, India, Italy, Serbia, Turkey, and Thailand. With their speeches, discussions, and master classes, the lecturers inspired over 5,000 young participants who gathered at the venue of the Festival.

As the members from the foreign delegations noted, the marathon Knowledge.First has shown that Russia is open to cooperation, that it is truly a country of opportunity. Speeches by outstanding experts helped young people learn about trends, promising areas, and important projects in which they can take part and contribute to their development. Russians learned more about international initiatives and had the opportunity to meet their favorite idols.

“The marathon has become one of the main events of the World Youth Festival, a place for dialogue between young leaders and mentors from around the world. During their presentations, the lecturers talked about the key values of our country, unity, and the importance of intercultural and interethnic dialogue. What is especially important is that the marathon participants received honest, sincere answers to their questions… I am sure that from the World Youth Festival has brought knowledge that in the future will help young participants make a contribution to building a fair, safe multipolar world,” noted Maxim Dreval, summing up the results of the Knowledge.First marathon.

The growing number of BRICS members and the powerful potential of their educational systems open up ample opportunities for the exchange of experience, both between the teaching staff of educational institutions and between students.

An important aspect for expanding such interaction is supporting the development of camps for children and youth as a unique format of out-of-school education and socialization. Fahrettin Gozet, President of the International Camping Fellowship, Turkey, elaborated on this.

“Russia is a country that ranks first in the number of children’s camps. Among them are “Artek”, “Orlyonok”, “Smena”, “Ocean”. When I came to Sochi after the Olympic Games, I was very inspired by the idea of the Sirius camp, by the fact that all these talented and hardworking youth received a platform to gather together. And all over the world in different countries I talked about this camp, because it is a wonderful project, said Fahrettin Gozet.

The Knowledge.First marathon program was supplemented by the VK Day lecture hall, where stand-up comedians, athletes, and musicians popular among young people talked about humor, the development of social networks, shared the secrets of creating interesting content, and told how to make your dream come true and achieve popularity.

All six sites of the Marathon were filled with young people, the guys actively communicated in different languages, took pictures with speakers, shared impressions with journalists from major media outlets, discussed the speeches they heard. The marathon tracks were in tune with the meanings of the Festival: “Responsibility for the fate of the world”, “Multinational unity”, “A world of opportunities for everyone”, “Let’s save the family in the name of children and peace” and “We are together with Russia”.

Along with the educational marathon Knowledge.First, within the framework of the educational program of the World Youth Festival, the Knowledge Society organized the intellectual tournament Knowledge.Game with the participation of scholars from different countries, screenings of performances together with the Tavrida Art Cluster, a film lecture Znanie.Kino, where spectators from all over the world got acquainted with legendary Russian films and discussed them with famous actors and directors.

Also, a multimedia exhibition of the National Photo Competition Knowledge.Russia was organized for Festival participants, giving the opportunity to see the main achievements of modern Russia and immerse themselves in their atmosphere using augmented reality technology.

Now, on March 10, the regional program of the Russian Society “Knowledge” starts as part of the World Youth Festival, which will be held until March 17 in all eight federal districts of the Russian Federation. The children will enjoy more than 200 educational events, including speeches, discussions, and master classes by authoritative lecturers from various fields. The program will unite Russians from regions of the country and foreign participants of the World Youth Festival, who will travel across Russia as part of several teams. Guests from different countries will have the opportunity to get acquainted with their Russian peers, the culture of our country and the achievements of the regions.

March 9, 2024
Russia develops long-term ties with UAE and Turkey in a highly polarized world

Russia’s largest economic forum (SPIEF) held in St. Petersburg on June,14 – June, 17 has resulted in strengthening ties with the two strategic partners – the UAE and Turkey.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, while on a working visit to Russia, held a meeting with Vladimir Putin at the SPIEF.

“I am pleased to be here today with you, your Excellency, and we wish to build on this relationship and we put our trust in you to do so,” Sheikh Mohammed told Putin.

According to Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, “for the UAE, this is a “calculated risk” it is willing to take, part of the Gulf nation’s policy of de-escalation and dialogue in an increasingly polarized world”.

“This polarization has to be broken”, – he added. “[UAE President] meets a lot of Western leaders, it is also important for him to hear from President Putin to be able also to support the international community’s collective effort, in order to go beyond the current polarization,” Gargash said.

Meanwhile, Alexey Sazanov, Russia’s Finance Minister Deputy, said that Moscow is now seeking new opportunities to strengthen economic and trade ties with UAE, Turkey and Malaysia. Among highly debated issues is a dialogue to make double taxation agreements with these countries more flexible.

At the beginning of 2022, the UAE Ministry of Finance announced the introduction of federal corporate income tax at a rate of 9% from June 1, 2023 for medium and large businesses. For companies with a profit that does not exceed 375,000 dirhams ($102,000) per year, the rate remains zero. The changes also did not affect charitable organizations, investment funds, state corporations and enterprises engaged in the extraction of natural resources.

Meanwhile, Turkey received the Russia’s SPIEF delegation in Istanbul in May, 2023.

During the meeting, SPIEF Director Alexei Valkov, Professor Ahmet Kasim Khan and IC Holding CEO Murad Bayar made presentations, discussed Russian-Turkish economic relations, strategic cooperation and investment opportunities.

“Today, diplomatic and trade relations between Russia and Turkey reflect a long-standing friendship that persists despite the prevailing political circumstances. It is especially worth highlighting the economic potential of Russian-Turkish relations, which represents significant commercial opportunities in the market,” said Professor Ahmet Kasym Khan.

June 18, 2023
Turkey’s strategy reveals Erdogan has built a house of cards, not an Empire

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrives for the G20 of World Leaders Summit on October 30, 2021 at the convention center “La Nuvola” in the EUR district of Rome. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

The year of 2023 might become perhaps the worst time for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his political career. Being harshly criticized for his foreign policy due to balancing between the West and Russia, making accuses towards the U.S. (the Turkey’s main strategic partner) and sticking to the NATO at the same time, Erdogan’s internal policy is also close to ruins.

The Erdogan’s failure to response to the earthquake that hit the Turkish northern territories and killed more than 35 000 people is on the top of the presidential election campaign agenda. The Turkish leader is accused by opposition for hailing some of the housing projects that crumbled, killing thousands of people. According to some construction experts, contractors were allowed to skip crucial safety regulations, increasing their profits but putting residents at risk. The video, taken during a campaign stop ahead of Turkey’s March 2019 local elections, Erdogan mentioned new housing for the city of Kahramanmaras (also called as Maras), near the epicenter February’s quake, as one of his main achievements.

“We solved the problem of 144,156 citizens of Maras with zoning amnesty,” Erdogan said, using his term for the construction amnesties handed out to allow contractors to ignore the safety codes.

The earthquake-damaged territories mostly inhabited by Kurds, have always been an epicenter for Turkey’s internal policy. Having been oppressed by the Turkish ruling party for years for the activity of the local PKK party (Kurdish Working Party, considered as a terrorist organization by the Turkish government), these territories faced a revealed connivance of authorities towards housing construction that adds even more oil to the flame that’s discrediting Erdogan’s policy among locals.

But in his foreign policy Erdogan has been even more uncompromising for several years. Having demonstrated his Ottoman Empire’s ambitions, the Turkish leader has managed to make enemies almost from all his partners and near-located countries. Harsh and uncensored accusations towards the West, an aggressive imperial policy towards some Middle East and Northern African countries, unstable position towards the Ukraine’s crisis have earned Erdogan a reputation of one of the most untrusted leaders.

As one Turkish saying goes, “One can trust a Turk after 40 days of his death”, Erdogan seems to having done everything to prove this. Sadly, there seems to be almost no time to recover from it before the May,14 presidential elections. Unless the people’s trust will again be bought.

March 14, 2023
Could the SPIEF boost the TurkStream flows?

Putin and Erdogan open TurkStream gas pipeline

The Saint Petersburg Economic Forum to be held in Russia on June 2-5 is the first post pandemic global event that is focused to gather international delegations from the U.S., Germany, Italy, China, South Asia and the Middle East.

With the Forum’s main focus on energy and sustainable development, Russia aims to boost international trade ties and attract investments to its economy. And Turkey could be among most prospective partners for Russia following the SPIEF ambitions. Today Ankara’s major interest is to provide permanent gas flows through the Turkish Stream. On the other side, Turkey, a NATO’s member, has been manipulated by the United States for years following Washington’ efforts to sign a deal with Ankara on U.S. natural compress gas (GNC).

However, the recent tensions between Biden and Erdogan on Ankara’s recognition of the atrocities committed against the Armenian people in 1915 as genocide as well as the recent criticism of Erdogan towards the U.S. on the Gaza-Israeli conflict have been a sore spot between the countries placing their further economic and political cooperation in question.

This explains why Turkey has been seeking a closer cooperation with Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to support the Turkish Stream supplies. The pipeline, which transits the Black Sea, took five years to complete and is one of two major new natural-gas export routes totaling nearly $20 billion. Russia on its parts also expects to go on line this year and the SPIEF is likely to become a platform for developing further economic cooperation and trade ties between Turkey and Russia.

June 2, 2021