"The Arctic Is Our Common Home" Forum at PetrSU

The main goal of the forum was a comprehensive assessment of the situation in the European part of the Arctic region. In particular, those present discussed geopolitical, socio-economic and cultural aspects.

The forum was attended by leading scientists, experts from the Russian Federation, the Arctic regions of the Russian Federation and other countries, representatives of federal and regional government bodies, public organizations, the business community, cultural figures, and representatives of the media.

Guests and forum participants were greeted by the Head of Karelia Artur Parfenchikov, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic Valentina Pivnenko, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Karelia Elissan Shandalovich, Rector of PetrSU Anatoly Voronin, Scientific Director of the Institute of Northern European and Arctic Studies of PetrSU Valery Shlyamin.

“Petrozavodsk State University has long chosen the Arctic vector as one of the priority areas of development. For example, PetrSU has established inter-district resource centers, the work of which covers the entire territory of our republic. One of them is the Arctic Interdistrict Resource Center, uniting 9 districts. The Center coordinates the interaction between the university and municipal authorities, enterprises, the business community, social and other institutions.

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that one of the features of the forum is the participation of a large number of young people. The topic of the Arctic is important and relevant, I recommend that students take it into their arsenal for research and work. I wish the forum participants successful work, interesting solutions and proposals,

– said the Rector of PetrSU A.V. Voronin.

Scientific Director of the Institute of Northern European and Arctic Studies of PetrSU V.A. Shlyamin noted:

“The forum is of great importance for our republic, for the entire Arctic North-West of the Russian Federation. Karelia occupies an important place in the Russian Arctic strategy. The forum is multidisciplinary: over the course of three days, security issues will be discussed, as well as historical, political, socio-economic aspects of the development of the Arctic. Today we are laying down a tradition of considering issues of the Karelian Arctic and the Russian Arctic for the future, which means that a series of forums will follow where we will again identify current priorities for the development of the Arctic.

Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Karelia E.V. Shandalovich:

“I am confident that constructive dialogue and interaction between representatives of government bodies, the scientific community, and business will make it possible to develop solutions that meet the development issues of the Arctic regions and our country in general.

In the welcoming address of N.V. Korchunov, Ambassador at Large of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, noted:

“It is gratifying that the forum is being held within the walls of Petrozavodsk State University, whose graduates are in demand in many areas that are drivers of the development of the Russian Arctic. In recent years, the Russian Arctic regions have successfully adapted to the changed geopolitical situation. The interuniversity cooperation in Russia has received a new impetus: educational layers, consortia, interdisciplinary and interregional associations are being formed, the geographical range of scientific connections is expanding, which contributes to the implementation of applied research. The Republic of Karelia is actively participating in this work.

A.V. Golovnev, Director of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Professor, Laureate of the State Prize of the Russian Federation:

“I am an Arctic explorer. For me, the forum is interesting from the point of view of promoting such a concept as the “northernness” of Russia. The Arctic is a fulcrum, a position that opens Russia up in a new dimension.

The event agenda includeed a youth school, a plenary session and work in the following sections:

1. Arctic Karelia;
2. Extra-regional players in the Arctic (BRICS and other partner countries of Russia);
3. Possible scenarios for the development of the geopolitical situation in Northern Europe;
4. The impact of the crisis in international relations on the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, the search for solutions to resume sustainable dialogue.

The forum was organized by the Arctic Center of Petrozavodsk State University. The forum is planned to be traditional.

The event program can be found on the website https://forum.acentury.ru/.

As part of the First Scientific and Practical Interregional Forum with international participation “The Arctic is Our Common Home,” the Scientific Library of PetrSU prepared a book exhibition.

The exhibition presents more than 200 documents on the development and study of the Russian North and the Arctic, including scientific works of forum participants - leading scientists, experts from the Russian Federation, the Arctic regions of the Russian Federation and other countries.