April 4, 2017
The 4th International Arctic Forum – ‘Arctic: Territory of Dialogue’ took place in Arkhangelsk on March 29–30, 2017, with the support of the State Commission for Arctic Development. The Forum was first held in 2010 and is a major platform for discussing topical issues and prospects for the development of the Arctic region with international partners. The Forum was attended by more than 2,400 participants, including 468 media representatives from Russia and 31 other countries: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, France, Germany, Greenland, Iceland, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, the Republic of Abkhazia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Vietnam. Government and business representatives, as well as experts in various fields, all took part in the Forum.
The keystone of the Forum was the plenary session, based around a central theme of ‘People and the Arctic’ and attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, President of Finland Sauli Niinistö, and President of Iceland Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson.
“Today, the significance of the Arctic continues to grow rapidly. It has become the focus of intense scrutiny among nations and peoples, both as a region on whose wellbeing the climate of the planet largely depends, and as a treasure trove of unique natural phenomena. It is also, of course, a territory which offers enormous scope for development and has huge economic potential”, said the Russian President in his welcoming address to the assembled guests and Forum participants, later adding: “Russia is open to constructive dialogue and is ensuring that the conditions are in place to allow it to develop effectively. We have an extremely broad economic programme for the Arctic, calculated for many years ahead. This includes more than 150 investment projects worth trillions of roubles.”
The Forum’s business programme included 20 events, including the opening ceremony of the 4th International Arctic Forum – ‘Arctic: Territory of Dialogue’, the plenary session ‘People and the Arctic’, and 13 themed sessions exploring four key areas:
•Human capital
•Sustainable develop
•Science and technology
•Economic development
In addition, various other special events were held on the sidelines of the Forum: the Arctic Business Forum, the Northern Forum Governors’ Meeting, a session of the State Commission for Arctic Development, the Arctic Municipalities Forum, and ‘The Arctic. Made in Russia’ International Youth Educational Forum, which is being held from March 27 to April 2, 2017 in Malye Karely, at the Vladimir Kuzin Ski Stadium.
More than 150 speakers and moderators participated in discussions and debates at the Forum, including 45 foreign participants.
The discussions focused on how to make the Arctic region a pleasant place in which to live and work, and how to ensure that the region’s environment is protected.
Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation and Chair of the State Commission for Arctic Development Dmitry Rogozin, who leads the Forum Organizing Committee, pointed out that the Forum’s central theme, ‘People and the Arctic’, and its programme of events offered an opportunity to examine these issues from multiple standpoints. “What was once the edge of the world is now becoming an attractive region in which to live and work”, he declared.
An exhibition exploring the social and economic development of the Arctic region was held throughout the Forum in the exhibition pavilion, covering an area of more than 1,400 square metres. The eight Russian regions with territory in the Arctic each had their own stand, highlighting the regional lens through which the Russian Ministry of Economic Development is plotting its project-based approach to the development of this macroregion.
The next Arctic-themed event will take place in 2018 as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The 5th International Arctic Forum – ‘Arctic: Territory of Dialogue’ will be held in 2019.