The 10th Anniversary Northern Dimension Forum was held on April 4, 2019 in Saint Petersburg, at the Sokos Hotel Palace Bridge and the Graduate School of Management, St. Petersburg State University. The event was attended by over 200 delegates. The Forum was chaired by Alexey Mordashov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PJSC Severstal, Co-Chairman of the Northern Dimension Business Council and Rolf Jansson, President of VR-Group, Co-Chairman of the Northern Dimension Business Council.
This year the topic of the forum was “ Sustainable Development in an Era of Global Changes: Growth Factors and (Un) Known Challenges ”. Russian and international experts, representatives of regional authorities, as well as heads of the largest European companies discussed what challenges in the political, economic and public spheres the world will face in 2019, it is possible to prevent a crisis of trust between partners against this background, as well as what impact such events will have on the region " Northern Change ".
Alexey Mordashov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of PJSC Severstal; Co-Chairman of the Northern Dimension Business Council:
“ I am glad that our Forum took place as a systematic platform for regular communication business of our countries with political authorities, with civil society, with representatives of other partnerships in the Northern Dimension. What is characteristic: if initially the Forum was focused on the classic business agenda, then over the past few years the main goal of our meetings has become an attempt to jointly try to discern future trends, new challenges and understand what our response will be to them. Along with the rapid development of information technology and artificial intelligence, so does the degree of uncertainty. The most correct answer to the challenges associated with this is adherence to our values, the values of sustainable development and openness to changes around us, which will allow us to adapt to the challenges. ”
Rolf Jansson, President of the Concern, VR-Group, Co-Chairman of the Business Council of Northern dimensions ":
" Over the past 10 years, significant progress has been made in all areas of the Northern Dimension Partnership. We have something to celebrate, but, more importantly, we have a clear common vision of the future and the ability, desire and will to make the future better. "
High-ranking representatives of Russian and European ministries and departments, representatives of civil society, as well as heads of international and Russian companies. Among them: Vadim Potomsky, Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the North-West Federal District; Alexander Grushko, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Paavo Lipponen, Prime Minister of Finland (1995-2003); Wolfgang Klement, Minister of Economy and Labor of Germany (2002-2005); Andrey Sharonov, President, Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO; Konstantin Krotov, First Deputy Director, Graduate School of Management Institute, St. Petersburg State University; Riitta Kosonen, Northern Dimension Institute (NDI) and others.
The forum was also attended by representatives of regional authorities, in particular, Yuri Kalabin, Chairman of the Committee for Industrial Policy and Innovation, Administration of St. Petersburg, and Oleg Kuvshinnikov, Governor of the Vologda area. European business representatives shared their vision of the development prospects of the Northern Dimension countries and ways to improve the efficiency of their economies.
Philippe Pegorier, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board, Association of European Businesses (AEB):
“Our Forum is largely devoted to growth factors contributing to sustainable development of the region during the period of global changes. Among the most important factors I would name the ability to interact on the Eurasian continent. The more we are connected, the more opportunities we have to find common political solutions and ensure economic prosperity. Communication is maintained through networks: transport, electronic, energy ... Finally, communication has a very obvious human dimension: from cooperation in education, research and innovation to travel and tourism. Communication is the key to global interaction. "
Frank Schauff, General Director of the AEB:
" Throughout its ten-year history, the Forum has remained one of the most important platforms for interaction between government officials, business and civil society on the territory countries - participants of the Northern Dimension. We are glad that this year, too, the participants were able to share their vision of the prospects for the development of the Northern Dimension countries in the field of creating regional models of responding to global challenges. ”
Northern Dimension "in cooperation with the Graduate School of Management of St. Petersburg State University.
The organizers of the Forum have set the date for the XI Northern Dimension Forum: it will be held on April 2, 2020 in St. Petersburg.
