How Does BRICS Envision the Cities of the Future?
By Talib Aliyev, analyst, exclusively for “Sangar”
The well-being of a state begins with the well-being of its citizens. With this slogan, one can describe a major international event that will take place in St. Petersburg. From October 29 to 31, the city will welcome guests from all corners of the globe. In one of the most beautiful, comfortable, and convenient cities in the world, the International Municipal Forum of BRICS will be held.
The forum will take place at the renowned Expoforum Convention and Exhibition Center. As one might expect, the business program will focus on topics such as comfort, practicality, safety, and many other aspects that shape urban life across the world.
It is no coincidence that among the guests will be mayors, governors, business representatives, and experts. BRICS serves as the organizer, but the event will be open to everyone interested in the development of urban and regional infrastructure. Even today, the Forum’s platform brings together representatives from more than 70 countries and 2,000 cities and regions across the globe — and the list of participants continues to grow.
Just last year, the BRICS Municipal Forum – 2024 gathered 6,000 delegates from 101 countries. Throughout the business program, over 50,000 online connections were made, 720 moderators participated, and more than 300 cooperation agreements were signed.
“The Forum provided an opportunity to discuss pressing issues of modern urban development, including the implementation of information and communication technologies, artificial intelligence, logistics, transport, and environmental topics. The platform made a significant contribution to establishing sustainable ties between BRICS countries and the nations of the Global South, which view prospects for enhanced cooperation with Russia positively,” noted Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, summarizing the results of last year’s Forum.
The BRICS Municipal Forum (MMF BRICS) is an open platform for all those who care about the well-being of their citizens. The Forum builds bridges and strengthens connections between countries at the municipal level — the level closest to ordinary people. It is based on the real needs of the population — the issues every person faces daily, whether at home or in the street.
The main goal of the Forum is to exchange advanced experience, technologies, and effective solutions. It will help unite efforts for the further development of urban environments.
The business program includes a wide range of topics such as ecology, transport infrastructure and logistics, economy and innovation, smart city construction with the use of digitalization and artificial intelligence, high-tech industries, healthcare, education, culture, sports, and much more.
All these are essential components without which the development of a comfortable urban environment would be impossible. It is no coincidence that the Forum’s work receives special attention at the highest level in Russia.
The Forum is held with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Federation Council, the Presidential Administration, the All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government, the governments of Moscow and St. Petersburg, and the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs.
In 2024, the BRICS Municipal Forum was recognized with a Letter of Appreciation from the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin.
Moreover, this year’s Forum will take place alongside the International Exhibition “Russian Industrialist” — a unique opportunity to expand business contacts and explore the latest industrial innovations.
