Greetings to the 20th St Petersburg International Economic Forum
President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin’s welcome to participants, organizers, and guests of the 20th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum is posted on the Forum’s official website (www.forumspb.com).
The message reads, in part:
«Dear colleagues,
It gives me great pleasure to welcome participants and guests of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, which this year is marking its 20th anniversary.
Year after year, the Forum’s reputation and influence continue to grow. The meetings, roundtables, and panel discussions held at the event focus on the most pressing and topical issues of the day. For politicians, business executives, and public figures from Russia and around the world, the event offers a platform for sharing best practices and proposing groundbreaking solutions to a wide range of issues facing the economy, finance, trade, and investment.
The theme of this year’s Forum is “Capitalizing on the New Global Economic Reality”, the relevance of which is clearly evident. The global economy is increasingly impacted by political and social factors. The challenges facing the global community demand concerted action aimed at achieving sustainable and balanced growth. It is vital that we work together in our search for additional drivers of development. We must more fully make use of the industrial, scientific, technological, and innovative potential of our nations, and also the potential of international integration structures. We must react more swiftly to the shifting demands of the market and to the looming transformation of the global technological landscape.
Forum guests and participants can expect a far-reaching and comprehensive programme, which includes the Business 20 Forum, BRICS Business Forum, and SCO Business Forum, as well as meetings between official delegations from Russia, Kazakhstan, Italy, and other countries. Among the other events scheduled are a special Valdai Club session, the Russian Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Forum, and a conference focused exclusively on the Arctic, thereby marking another first for the Forum. Conversely, the traditional Global Energy Award and Development Award ceremonies will also be held during the Forum, along with a business summit for heads of the world’s largest energy producers.
I firmly believe that the recommendations and agreements drawn up during the Forum will help drive economic recovery in Russia and around the world, promote international cooperation based on egalitarian principles across a wide range of spheres, and give rise to mutually beneficial long-term projects.
Allow me to wish you a productive and successful event».
