The IX BRICS Civil Forum Brought Together Over 600 Representatives of Civil Society
On July 3–4, Moscow hosted the IX BRICS Civil Forum, which was attended by representatives from every new member state of the group. The event was organized by the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, in line with the official calendar of events for Russia’s BRICS Chairship in 2024. This Forum became a landmark event, marking an important milestone in the institutionalization of the BRICS civil society process under Russia's Chairship.
During the Inaugural Session, Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Vice Rector at HSE University, Сo-Сhair of Russian NGO group on BRICS and G20, Russian W20 Sherpa emphasized the importance of collectively addressing sustainable development challenges. “The coming together of the BRICS nations has resulted in increased interactions not only at the state level, but also among civil society members and non-profit organizations, which makes perfect sense because it is through civil society and its representatives that the fundamental aspects of just and fair development should be defined,” Victoria Panova emphasized. She also pointed out that the number of Forum participants has more than doubled compared to the original plan, with 650 people from 20 countries attending the event in Moscow. Dr. Panova stressed that the expansion of BRICS has given new momentum to the civil dialogue among all 10 member states.
Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Russia’s BRICS Sherpa Sergey Ryabkov said: "The Civil Forum has turned into one of the pillars of the BRICS architecture. It provides a platform to showcase civil initiatives and deliberate on the pressing issues concerning the lives of BRICS member states and individuals living in these states. The civil track is the most dynamic area in the strategic partnership, which is focused on the development of humanitarian ties and mutual cultural enrichment."
According to Sergey Ryabkov, the primary objective of the group's activities and of the Forum in particular is to create opportunities for the development of human potential.
For the first time in the history of the BRICS Civil Forum, the event featured a philosophical essay contest titled “Vision 2050—BRICS People 2050—How BRICS Will Change the World by 2050”. Participants were tasked with envisioning a future that benefits all of humanity and suggesting long-term strategies to bring such a future to life. Over 160 applications were received, with contestants hailing from Russia, Brazil, China, India, South Africa, Spain, Uruguay, Turkmenistan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “Following the meeting, the jury identified 10 winners, with three of them earning the chance to visit Moscow and attend the BRICS Civil Forum in person. Nearly every second participant had some type of solution to offer,” Felix Azhimov, Chair of the Contest Jury and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at HSE University (Russia), noted.
On June 27, a press conference was held to unveil a collaborative study by TASS and the BRICS Expert Council-Russia titled “Colonialism 3.0: Origins and Methods of Modern Western Globalism”. TASS, the general partner of the Forum, co-organized a photo exhibition titled “Western Globalism in Action” and a presentation of a paper titled “Colonialism 3.0: Origins and Methods of Modern Western Globalism” as part of the event.
Additionally, the two days of the Forum featured an art exhibition by a renowned Russian designer from the Urals region Nina Ruchkina, which was titled "Nina Ruchkina. Beauty Bring the World Together." Ms Ruchkina specially created a scarf dedicated to BRICS, which celebrates the beauty of women from across the BRICS countries and honours Russian culture.
On July 4, the traditional follow-up press conference took place at the “Rossiya Segodnya” International Media Group to highlight the key results of the Civil Forum.
To read more, see the official website of the BRICS Civil Forum.