Business programme

Entrance by invitation only

Entrance by invitation only

The World Federation of Russian-Speaking Women was created following a decision of the 3rd Eurasian Women’s Forum. It includes representatives of more than 150 countries. The main goal of the organization is to bring Russian-speaking women throughout the world together to preserve fundamental human values, traditions, and culture, and develop a conscientious attitude towards history.

What opportunities for expanding business and public relations does the Federation use in the current climate? How can the efforts of women be united to advance a positive agenda? How do national culture and language strengthen mutual understanding and cooperation with other countries?

Moderator:
Yelena Afanaseva — Member of the Federation Council Committee on International Affairs, Coordinator of the Eurasian Women's Forum Council projects 'Russian Compatriots Abroad', 'Women Parliamentarians Club', Russian Federation (Orenburg region)

Panellists:
Khanzada Baltayeva — President of the Public Association International Global Women's Leadership, Republic of Kazakhstan
Elena Bogdan — Deputy State Secretary of the Union State, Republic of Belarus
Bernadette Maria Jagger — Deputy Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication and Social Welfare of the Republic of Namibia, Republic of Namibia;
Tamara Lorincz — Senior Researcher, Canadian Voice of Women for Peace, member of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Canada;
Diana Piliia — Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Abkhazia, Republic of Abkhazia;
Arelys Santana Bello — President of the Permanent Commission Youth, Children and Equal Rights of Women of the National Assembly of People's Power and the Council of State of the Republic of Cuba, Republic of Cuba

The number of women who work in municipalities is more than three times higher than that of men. Exchanging knowledge and experience in matters concerning municipal governance can take cooperation between countries to a new level. One promising area is the development of cooperation between sister cities, which could become platforms for implementing joint projects and exchanging best practices in municipal governance.

What role do women play in municipal diplomacy and establishing economic and humanitarian ties? What are the most effective practices of international cooperation among female municipality leaders? What innovative approaches and effective mechanisms for the development of municipal territories can be replicated in other countries? How can we popularize the achievements of women leaders in the development of municipalities?

Moderator:
Irina Guseva — Co-Chairman of the All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government, Member of the Presidium of the Presidential Council for the Development of Local Self-Government, Russian Federation (Moscow)

Panellists:
Marina Dik — Deputy of the City Assembly of Deputies of Tursunzade, Republic of Tajikistan;
Iryna Dobrovolskaya — Coordinator of Youth and Social projects of the Coordinating Council of Russian Compatriots in Belarus, Republic of Belarus;
Anna Du — Chairman of the Council of the Municipal Education Council of the Syktyvkar Urban District Komi Republic, Russian Federation (Komi Republic);
Elena Dyatlova — Head of Kaliningrad City Administration, Russian Federation;
Oksana Kosenko — Head of Administration of Tselinsky District, Russian Federation (Rostov region);
Emiliya Radzhabova — Deputy Head of Administration of Makhachkala City Urban District with Intracity Division, Russian Federation (Republic of Dagestan);
Ladan Ranjbar Haghighi — Coordinator of the Women's Committee of the Asian Mayors Forum, Islamic Republic of Iran;

The 2nd Russia–Africa Summit held to much acclaim in St. Petersburg in July 2023 was a qualitatively new step in the development of Russia–Africa relations. A shift has occurred – from formulating goals and objectives to implementing specific projects and developing mechanisms and tools for mutually beneficial cooperation aimed at creating a more just world order, developing the economy in the interests of the people of Africa and Russia, and furthering constructive interaction in science, technology, and humanitarian work.

What projects, including joint projects, are being successfully implemented in Africa? What role do new technologies and modern educational practices play in the development of Russia and Africa today? What is the role of Russian and African women in the implementation of strategic development objectives for Russia and African countries?

Moderator:
Irina Abramova — Director, Institute for African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, corresponding member of RAS, Russian Federation (Moscow)

Panellists:
Jessica Rose Epel Alupo — Vice-President of the Republic of Uganda, Republic of Uganda
Lidi Bessi Kama — Minister of Sport and Recreation of the Togolese Republic, Togolese Republic;
Lilia Gumerova — Chairman of the Committee on Science, Education and Culture of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Bashkortostan)
Maria Zakharova — Director, Department of Information and Press, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Loide Kasingo — Vice-President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Namibia, Republic of Namibia;
Nonhlanhla Mlotshwa — Member of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Republic of Zimbabwe;
Nina Ostanina — Chairman of the Committee on Family Protection, Issues of Fatherhood, Motherhood and Childhood, State Duma of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Anna Popova — Head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Welfare; Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Ndey Seinabо Puy — Chairperson of African Women for Economic Development;
Lyudmila Skakovskaya — Deputy Chairperson of the Federation Council Committee on Science, Education and Culture, Russian Federation (Tver region);
Korraa Soheir — Professor, Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, President, Association of African Women in Nuclear, WIN Egypt, Arab Republic of Egypt
Brigitte Touadera — Wife of the President of the Central African Republic, Head of the F.A. Touadera Cri de Coeur d'une Mere Foundation, Central African Republic;
Bertha Chinyanga — Member of the Senate of the Parliament of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Republic of Zimbabwe;

Such challenges as preserving life on the planet, ensuring a decent way of life, developing people’s abilities, protecting the health of women and children, overcoming poverty, and enhancing women’s self-realization are all common components of women’s humanitarian mission regardless of the country. International cooperation among women in this regard helps to more effectively achieve sustainable development goals, serves to bring cultures closer together, and promotes mutual understanding.

How can the potential of socio-political and humanitarian cooperation be used to promote common values, including spiritual and moral ones? How do educational programmes for women, including programmes to develop women’s leadership, influence the rapprochement of countries on humanitarian issues? What role does the interaction of state and public institutions play in intensifying humanitarian cooperation? What new communication channels can be used to enhance its influence?

Moderator:
Lyubov Glebova — First Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Federation Committee on Constitutional Legislation and State Building, Russian Federation (Udmurt Republic)

Panellists:
Elena Alonchikova — Pro-Rector of Synergy University, CEO of TechWeek, Russian Federation (Moscow);
Irina Gaychentseva — General Director of the Fund Ugra Regional Guarantee Organization, Russian Federation (Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra)
Larisa Dal — Head of the Department for the Development of Educational Activities of the Russian Society ‘Znanie’, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Vera Kuzubov — Managing Partner of the Ecostandart Group of Companies, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Alina Radchenko — Director of the Russian Culture Centre in Cyprus, Cyprus (Nicosia)
Nandy Some Diallo — Minister of Solidarity, Humanitarian Action, National Reconciliation, Gender Equality and Family Affairs of Burkina Faso, Burkina Faso;
Olga Khokhlova — Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Vladimir Region, Russian Federation (Vladimir Region)

The economy is undergoing major changes amid geopolitical and technological challenges. Women are analyzing what is happening and proactively responding to it. In the current context, women's mission is to participate in the formation of new economic policies. Technocratization of society, changes in the labor market, and excessive consumption are factors that women use to create new opportunities, including the creation of new jobs and new forms of employment that allow women to combine work and family responsibilities.

What forms of women's participation in the economy are most needed in the face of new challenges? What opportunities does the modern labor market offer? How can women's professional communities contribute to the development of international cooperation? What directions for the development of women's entrepreneurship are opening up in the current environment?

Moderator:
Nataliya Loseva — Deputy Editor-in-Chief, RIA News, Russian Federation (Moscow)

Panellists:
Elvira Nurgalieva — Deputy Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Agnessa Osipova — Chairman of the Board of Directors, Russian Franchise Association (RFA), Russian Federation (Moscow)
Ekaterina Priezzheva — Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Gulnora Rakhimova — Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Republic of Uzbekistan
Tatyana Terentyeva — Deputy Director General for Human Resources, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM;
Gulden Turktan — Founding President of W20; Turkish W20 Sherpa; Member, Presidential Council, KAGIDER (Women Entrepreneurs Association of Turkey), Republic of Turkey
Nadiya Cherkasova — Vice-President, OPORA RUSSIA

Over the last 10 years, the contents of a Russian woman's cosmetics bag have undergone structural and qualitative changes. In such a short period of time, domestic brands have not only displaced foreign-made mast-haves from Russian women's cosmetics and retail shelves, but have also entered foreign markets, such as China.

At the session ‘Women for Women: How Russian Brands are Changing the Global Cosmetics Market’ with participants from Russian cosmetics companies, marketplaces and state development institutions, we will talk about the inner workings of cosmetics brand development in the new economic realities.

Moderator:
Irena Ponaroshku — Ambassador of OPU line (Krasnopolyanskaya cosmetics)

Panellists:
Natalia Baklanova — Strategic Communications Director, Biopharmrus LLC (LIBREDERM)
Yana Golovleva — Business Development Director, Internet Solutions LLC (Ozon);
Oksana Degtyareva — Co-owner of LLC EFKO COSMETIC (Efco);
Rimma Founder — Founder of Pink LLC (Novosvit);
Tatyana Efimova — SPLAT Global Brand Director SPLATGlobal LLC (SPLAT)
Elena Krygina — CEO and founder of KRYGINA COSMETICS LLC (KRYGINA COSMETICS)

The International Council of Women in Technology and Industry was created with the support of the Rosatom State Corporation based on recommendations that were given at the third Eurasian Women’s Forum. The council brings together women experts from the technological sectors of 16 countries. Its mission is to develop and strengthen international cooperation among women, including those working in the nuclear industry, help unlock the professional potential of women working in knowledge-intensive industries, and create a comfortable, inclusive environment for employees of energy and high-tech companies in the council’s member countries.

The meeting of the International Council of Women in Technology and Industry will include a discussion of the interim results of work to prepare a strategic document on women’s involvement and development in high-tech industries, as well as to hand over the council’s chairmanship to the next member country and elect a new chairperson and secretary.

Moderator:
Daria Savchenko — Advisor, International Cooperation Department, ROSATOM, Russian Federation (Moscow)

Panellists:
Marine Hakobyan — Leading Engineer, Armenian NPP, Republic of Armenia;
Bahire Gul Goktepe — Director of NUTEK Energy Consulting, Technology and Industry Inc., President of Turkish Women's Nuclear Association, Republic of Turkey
Rozaliya Kamaeva — Deputy Head of Construction Project Coordination Division, Agency for the Development of Nuclear Energy under the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Republic of Uzbekistan;
Olivia Limpe Aw — President of the Philippine Archipelago International Trading Corp, Philippines;
Princess Mthombeni — Founder of the Africa4Nuclear project, Republic of South Africa
Irene Opoku-Ntim — Research Scientist in Applied Nuclear Physics of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Republic of Ghana
Minu Singh — Managing Director, Nuvia India Private Limited, Republic of India;
Danica Stanisavljevic — Advisor to the Chairman of the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Serbia;
Geni Rina Sunaryo — Head of Women's Capacity Development Department of the Indonesian Nuclear Society Association, Republic of Indonesia;
Irina Tazhibaeva — Executive Director of the Scientific and Technical Center for Nuclear Technology Safety of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kazakhstan;
Najoua Turki Kammoun — Professor at the University of Tunis El Manar, Republic of Tunisia;
Otgonceg Tserendorj — Senior Specialist of the Apparatus of the Nuclear Energy Commission, Mongolia;
Rajaa Cherkaoui El Moursli — Professor of Nuclear Physics at the Faculty of Sciences, University Mohammed V in Rabat, Kingdom of Morocco;

In the modern world, women are driving improvements in healthcare and support for public health. They work hard at various levels to develop advanced health-preserving technologies by combining the best developments and innovations, successful organizational models, and promising social projects into a single system that aims to strengthen public health and improve people’s quality of life. Women are implementing their own social initiatives, which are becoming an essential addition to healthcare modernization programmes.

What role do women play in the development of advanced health-preserving technologies? How can we bolster the synergy of women who manage projects to further develop healthcare? How can we effectively introduce and scale innovative initiatives and solutions that aim to improve healthcare and promote public health?

Moderator:
Anastasia Stolkova — Coordinator of the project of the Council of the Eurasian Women's Forum "Women for a Healthy Society", First Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Development, Director of the Healthcare Directorate, Roscongress Foundation, Russian Federation (Moscow)

Panellists:
Elena Aksenova — Director, Research Institute of Health Care Organization and Medical Management, Moscow City Health Department, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Hesa Sabah Al Doseri — Chief of Health Facilities Regulation Section of the National Health Regulatory Authority, Kingdom of Bahrain;
Hajar Jafarova — Founder of the Sea Breeze Anti-Aging Center, Republic of Azerbaijan;
Oksana Drapkina — Director, National Medical Research Centre for Therapy and Preventive Medicine, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Saniyam Koval — President, Charity Foundation Give Sunlight, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Evgenia Kotova — Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Oxana Pozdnyakova — General Director, Nizhpharm, Russian Federation (Nizhny Novgorod region)
Anastasia Treshchevskaya — Mental Health Recovery Project Manager, Ambassador of the Women for a Healthy Society Movement, Russian Federation (Leningrad Region)

Modern healthcare is focused on innovative development that can create more and more opportunities to combat life-threatening diseases and increase human life expectancy. The ability of healthcare systems to reliably protect the health and well-being of citizens depends on how effectively mechanisms of international cooperation are created in the processes of integrating innovative technologies and unique advanced approaches to establish flexible and sustainable healthcare systems.

How can we unite the efforts of the international community in order to preserve the health of nations? What are the priority areas where bridges of long-term mutually beneficial cooperation need to be built? What examples of the effective international introduction of innovation can be scaled up in the practice of other countries? What areas of medicine and medical services are the most promising on the agenda of medical tourism today, and what successful practices for their incorporation can create a foundation for international cooperation? What role do women play in improving global health policies? How are women who work in the healthcare sector influencing the creation of a healthy society in Russia and abroad?

Moderator:
Evelina Zakamskaya — TV presenter, TV channel "Russia 24"; editor-in-chief, Doctor TV channel, Russian Federation (Moscow)

Panellists:
Hesa Sabah Al Doseri — Chief of the Department of Health Facilities Regulation, National Health Regulatory Authority Bahrain, Kingdom of Bahrain
Sarah Baikika — Commissioner for Planning, Financing and Policy, Ministry of Health, Republic of Uganda, Republic of Uganda;
Oksana Drapkina — Director, National Medical Research Center for Therapy and Preventive Medicine of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation; Chief Visiting Specialist in Therapy and General Medical Practice of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, RAS academician, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Evgenia Kotova — Deputy Minister of Health of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Boris Michel — Head of the Regional Delegation to the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus, International Committee of the Red Cross
Veronika Skvortsova — Head, Federal Medical and Biological Agency of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Anastasia Stolkova — First Deputy Chief Executive Officer for Development, Director of the Healthcare Directorate, Roscongress Foundation, Russian Federation (Moscow)

Each Forum participant will be able to cast their vote in support of the donor movement and together fill a ‘digital heart’ as a symbol of life.

Entrance by invitation only

The Arctic is an essential part of Russia’s resource base and contributes more than 10% of the national GDP in spite of only about 2% of the population living there. The Arctic is home to major infrastructure projects, mineral resources of strategic importance are extracted there, and without the Arctic, the Russian economy would hardly develop. Still, what really makes the Arctic valuable is its people.

A challenging climate and demanding physical labour have traditionally attracted men to the Arctic in search of geographical discoveries and higher wages. But times are changing, almost half of those who live and work in the Russian Arctic today are women, and not all have simply followed their husbands North. Women are contributing just as much to Arctic development as men, founding businesses, holding senior government positions, participating in scientific research, building careers in high-tech industrial giants, and even working on the icebreakers of the Northern Sea Route. Women have always played an outsized role in preserving the unique ecosystem and identity of the Russian North and deciding the future of the Arctic, and their role in the development of this strategically important macro-region must continue to grow.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has designated Arctic development an indisputable national priority. How should the Arctic change so that people will continue to want to live there? How do the women of the North build their careers and show what they are capable of? Do they feel comfortable in this man’s world? Is today’s Arctic really such a masculine space, or is there room for another kind of strength?

Moderator:
Roman Plyusov — Anchor, Russia 24 TV Channel, Russian Federation (Moscow)

The manmade impact on the environment is increasingly becoming a top priority in the work of government bodies, businesses, and public organizations. Environmental pollution, reduced water availability, as well as climate change and its impact affect the lives and well-being of people all over the world. Trust and cooperation are needed to overcome these challenges. This topic continues to be one that brings people together, despite new challenges. Women play an increasingly important role in the management of natural resources and addressing issues concerning nature management, energy, and food security, among others.

What aspects of the environmental agenda are most important for women and why? How can we ensure that women are even more involved in shaping national and international approaches to environmental protection? How can women influence the world to make it more eco-friendly? What opportunities are opening up today for women who work in the environmental field?

Moderators:
Irina Gaida — Project Coordinator of the Council of the Eurasian Women's Forum "Environmental Platform", Deputy Director of the Project Center for Energy Transition and ESG Principles, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology (Skoltech), Russian Federation (Moscow)
Andrey Yatskin — First Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Rostov region)

Panellists:
Irina Gekht — Chairman of the Government of Zaporizhzhya region
Tatiana Zavyalova — Senior Vice President for ESG, Sberbank, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Polina Lion — Director of the Department of Sustainable Development, State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Svetlana Lukash — Deputy Head, Expert Department of the President of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Dharitri Patnaik — Chief Coordinator of the Republic of India at the Women's G20, Chairman of Diversified Energy Solutions, Managing Director of Jivada Ventures, Founder of Humara Bachpan Trust Fund, India
Marina Sedykh — General Director, INK-Capital, Russian Federation
Alexey Chekunkov — Minister of the Russian Federation for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Andrey Chibis — Governor of Murmansk Region, Russian Federation

Entrance by invitation only

The gastronomy session will include an informal expert dialogue on business strategies and women's successful experience in overcoming investment barriers in the Russian market in various spheres - from gastronomy to high-tech.

The social nature of women has historically dictated their role in preserving and handing down national spiritual and moral values and traditions, be it in the context of families, intercultural dialogue, or the foundations of global peace and cooperation. A woman is the bearer of traditions, a keeper, and a conveyer. She passes them on to future generations. This relay race is what forms cultural heritage, people’s identity, and the cultural code that distinguishes them.

How are contemporary women fulfilling their mission as guardians of traditions? What role do traditions play in modern culture? Does today’s society need traditions? How does the mixing of traditions affect the development of cultures? What role do traditions play in forming a solidary society? How important are traditions in maintaining peace and trust? What is the role of corporate traditions? How are traditions transforming under the influence of modern technologies? What role do traditions play in economic development? How does globalization affect traditional cultural practices?

Moderator:
Elena Malysheva — Coordinator of the project of the Council of the Eurasian Women's Forum "Women for the Preservation of Traditions", Head, National Center for Historical Memory under the President of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (Moscow)

Panellists:
Maryam Bint Ali Al-Misand — Minister of Social Development and Family of the State of Qatar, State of Qatar;
Nina Veysalova — Vice President, Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East of the Russian Federation, Russian Federation (St. Petersburg)
Marina Medvedeva — Member of the Management Board - Managing Director, SIBUR, Russian Federation (Moscow)
Natalia Nikolaeva — Chairman, Chuvash Republican Public Organization Union of Women of Chuvashia, Russian Federation (Republic of Chuvashia);
Olga Nyuman — Coordinator of Socially Significant Projects, Member of the Management Board, Leningrad Regional Public Organization Vepsan Kond, Russian Federation (Leningrad region);
Gloria Sandoval Salas — Executive Director of the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation, Co-Chair of the Russian-Mexican Joint Commission on Cultural Cooperation, United Mexican States;
Nabeela Farida Tunis — Minister of Tourism and Culture of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Sierra Leone;

The concert will feature leading soloists from the Mariinsky Theatre’s opera and ballet.