News

Inaugural meeting of the IMBRICS Forum 2025 Organising Committee took place

2025-03-31 18:00 IMBRICS'25
Photos © Moscow City Duma; IMBRICS Forum Directorate
On 31 March 2025, a meeting of the Organising Committee for the preparation and holding of the International Municipal BRICS Forum (IMBRICS Forum) took place in Moscow, Russia. The meeting was chaired by Sergey Cheremin, Deputy Chairman of the Organising Committee, Minister of the Government of Moscow, and Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow.

At the beginning of the meeting, Sergey Cheremin read out a welcoming address from Leonid Tyagachev, Chairman of the IMBRICS Forum Organising Committee and Adviser-mentor to the Mayor of Moscow.

Participants reviewed the outcomes of last year’s Forum, held on 27–28 August 2024, which received high praise from the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia Sergey Lavrov. It was noted that the event made a significant contribution to strengthening ties between the association’s member states. Furthermore, the IMBRICS Forum was included in the Kazan Declaration of the XVI BRICS Summit, where leaders emphasised its role in fostering friendly relations between cities of participating nations and advancing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Key decisions were made during the meeting regarding the organisation of the IMBRICS Forum 2025:
  • Date and venue: The Forum will take place from 29 to 31 October in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
  • Executive structures: The composition of the Organising Committee and Directorate was approved, along with the appointment of the Forum’s operator—the International Business Communications Foundation.
  • Media partner: TV BRICS was officially designated as the International Media Partner.
  • New programme tracks: A youth and a project segment were introduced.
  • Participation formats: New statuses were introduced, including Partner Country, Partner Region, and Partner City.
  • International events: Activities are planned in the UAE, Brazil, India, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Algeria, and Egypt.
  • Ambassadors: The network of IMBRICS Forum representatives was expanded to 27 countries.

Inna Svyatenko — Deputy Chairwoman of the Organising Committee, Deputy Chairwoman of the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation:
"Many [foreign delegates] remarked upon departure that their neighbours would also want to attend this year’s Forum. Another key task will be promoting Russian companies, projects, and technologies in international markets—and I believe the IMBRICS Forum will fulfil this agenda admirably.

I support the expanded framework of the Forum, which is entirely justified. The project segment will resonate in a fresh way, and the youth segment will also have a strong presence."

Alexey Shaposhnikov — Chairman of the Moscow City Duma:
"In 2024, the Moscow City Duma initiated the International Parliamentary Forum as part of the IMBRICS Forum. We presented the "BRICS Capitals Parliamentary Movement" project, which drew interest from colleagues in capital regions and fellow BRICS members. In October, Saint Petersburg and the Moscow City Duma propose continuing this theme with a panel discussion on ‘BRICS Capital Parliamentary Diplomacy in an Era of Global Change as a Guarantee of Investment Security."

Vladimir Platonov, President of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry:
"Following our 2024 session on economic and entrepreneurial development for BRICS chambers of commerce and municipalities, a joint statement was adopted to establish an association of BRICS metropolis chambers of commerce. We proposed a smart digital city solution, an educational project to enhance business competencies among students, and support for youth entrepreneurship.

The CIS International Assembly in Saint Petersburg successfully pilots legislative initiatives—we believe this model should and can be expanded within BRICS, and we are ready to contribute actively."

Ivan Polyakov, Chairman of the Russia–ASEAN Business Council and Board of Directors of TV BRICS:
"For the TV BRICS international network, 2024 was foundational in establishing ties with the Moscow Government, yielding substantial results. By year’s end, we secured permanent partnerships with over 100 media outlets across 26 BRICS+ nations. Content under the TV BRICS brand now reaches audiences in more than 80 countries—an excellent platform to present ideas and initiatives accurately to the global community and our target audience.

We are prepared to enhance media coverage this year and collaborate with the Forum Directorate by exploring new tools to amplify its global reach."

The Organising Committee meeting was also attended by representatives of the Annual Investment Meeting (AIM), the Council of Young Legislators under the Federation Council, the Moscow Centre for International Cooperation, the Skolkovo Foundation, and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.

Joining online were delegates from the Russian Ministry of Economic Development, the Saint Petersburg Legislative Assembly, the Saint Petersburg Committee for External Relations, the Kazan Mayor’s Office, and the All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government. Deputy Natalia Astakhova, on behalf of Alexander Belsky, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg, confirmed the agency's willingness to support the Forum.

The organisers expressed confidence that IMBRICS Forum 2025 will serve as a key platform for strengthening international cooperation at the municipal level.