After a forced break last year, the Eastern Economic Forum recommenced in 2021. The Forum, held on September 2-4 in Vladivostok, is one of the largest platforms for discussing international multilateral cooperation aimed at developing business and trade, implementing international projects on environmental protection and sustainable development. The Forum's events are traditionally held in the format of international conferences, panel sessions, round tables and business dialogues. On September 2, a meeting was held in order to discuss the Russian-Norwegian cooperation in environmental protection and underwater research.
The event was held in a mixed mode with participation of representatives from the Murmansk Region and Norway and assistance of the Primorsky Regional Branch of the Russian Geographical Society and the Primorsky Regional Branch of the Russian-Chinese Friendship Society.
The Primorsky branch of the RGS was attended by: member of the Murmansk Regional Branch of the RGS Council, adviser to the Governor of the Murmansk Region Sergey Goncharov, members of the Primorsky Regional branch of the RGS: head of the underwater research section of the Primorsky branch of the RGS Alexey Kondratyuk, chairman of the Underwater Search Club "Vostok" Boris Levashko and chairman of the employee committee of the Primorsky Sports Tourism Federation, head of courses on the safe use of the natural environment of the Primorsky branch of the RGS Vladislav Kupchik. Via video-conferencing, chairman of the Murmansk Regional Branch of the RGS Denis Moiseev joined the meeting from Murmansk, and head of the Norwegian company Polarekspedisjoner AS Tore Topp, head of the Quest Explorer company Jan Brun, and the head of the Norwegian Pomor Academy Remi Strand joined the meeting from Norway. The consecutive translation from Russian into Norwegian and vice versa was carried out.
2.jpg
Denis Moiseev spoke about the RGS projects in the field of environmental protection and underwater research in the Arctic seas.
Tore Topp stated: "I signed an agreement at this conference. In the nearest possible future, given the coronavirus situation, a pre-project will be carried out, whereas the main project will be completed until the end of 2022. This partnership between Russia and Norway is very important, especially now, when the major global players have somewhat cooled down to such kind of cooperation."
Remi Strand commented on the agreement: "I congratulate the parties on the conclusion of such an important Russian-Norwegian agreement. Seal fishing has been of great importance for Norway in the past, and this experience should be used in the future. The joint project between Russia and Norway, which will highlight, among other things, this part of history, plays a very important role."
After the online conference ended, an informal conversation was held between representatives of the Murmansk and Primorsky Branches of the RGS. The colleagues shared their experience in the field of underwater research in different regions, approaches to interacting with foreign partners, and outlined possible options for joint expeditionary research work.
1.jpg
