Plenary Session
“Role of mass media in strengthening mutual understanding and cooperation between the Caspian States”
Henri Barbusse Str., 16, Astrakhan State Opera & Ballet Theatre, Grand Hall, floor 4

Moderator:

• Aleksey KHARNAS, TASS Deputy Editor-in-Chief

Speakers (TBS):

• Igor BABUSHKIN, Governor of Astrakhan Region
• Bella CHERKESOVA, Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Russian Federation
• Yevgeny PRIMAKOV, Head of Rossotrudnichestvo
• Yeldos NASHIRALI, Chairman of the Information Committee of the Ministry of Information and Public Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Andrey BYSTRITSKY, Chairman of the Board of the Foundation for Development and Support of the Valdai International Discussion Club
• Radik BATYRSHIN, Chairman of the Mir International Television and Radio Company
• Kamalya MAMEDOVA, editor-in-chief, 1news.az, the Republic of Azerbaijan
• Lyubov MALYAREVSKAYA, CEO of Russian Media Group
• Modabber RUHOLLAH, political scientist, PhD, political observer of the media of the Islamic Republic of Iran
• Irina IMAMKULIYEVA, Head of department of the Turkmenistan State News Agency (TDH), Turkmenistan
• Gulnora BOBOZHONOVA, Director of the Center for Retraining of Journalists of Uzbekistan

Session 1: “Public diplomacy projects: Caspian dimension”
Henri Barbusse Str., 16, Astrakhan State Opera & Ballet Theatre, Second Stage, floor 3

Moderator:

• Kamilzhan KALANDAROV, Chairman of the Board of the Caspian Heritage Foundation for Assistance to Strengthening Friendship among the Peoples of the Caspian States, Chairman of the Expert Council on Intercultural Dialogue and Education for Sustainable Development under the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Director of Russian-Turkmen Culture Center, Doctor of Philosophy, Moscow

Participants and Speakers:

• Rashid ISMAYILOV, Chairman of the Russian Ecological Society
• Miguel PALACIO, Deputy General Director of the Margarita Rudomino All-Russia State Library for Foreign Literature for Interregional and International Cooperation, Head of the Shrines of Undivided Christianity Association, ThD
• Igor SAVELYEV, senior researcher, Lomonosov Moscow State University
• Farhad IBRAGIMOV, expert of the Valdai International Discussion Club
• Elshad MIRBASHIROGLU, member of National Assembly (Milli Majlis) of Azerbaijan, board member of Social Research Center, political scientist, Professor at the Department of Political Science and Political Management of the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan
• Zhanar TULINDINOVA, Executive Director of the Institute of Parliamentarism under the Presidential Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Askar KUBAIJANOV, Editor-in-Chief, Spik.kz analytical website
• Denis KIM, Head of the Representative Office of the China SCO Technology Transfer Center in the Republic of Uzbekistan
• Yury FLYGIN, historian, political scientist, publicist, Head of the history department of the Theological Seminary of the Central Asian Diocese, author of a number of scientific works
• Irina IMAMKULIYEVA, Head of department of the Turkmenistan State News Agency (TDH), Turkmenistan
• Lana RAVANDI-FADAI, PhD (History), Senior Researcher of the Institute of Oriental Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences
• Rinat GUBAYDULLAEV, Deputy Chairman of the Association of Youth Governments of the Russian Federation
• Evgenia YUKINA, Head of the Caspian-Eurasia Center for International Studies

Session 2: “New mechanisms for promoting the Russian language as an instrument of interethnic communication”
Henri Barbusse Str., 16, Astrakhan State Opera & Ballet Theatre, Blue Hall, floor 6

In the post-Soviet countries, Russian is mostly spoken by the adult population. What measures are being taken to make it a means of communication for younger generations? State and public projects to preserve and promote the Russian language: joint schools, training and professional development of teachers, competitions, festivals, vacations in Artek and Orlenok children’s camps, etc. Programs to train foreign students at universities, youth exchanges and other projects for young people. All this will help to counter attempts to “cancel” Russian culture, and to build mutual understanding between peoples better.

Language is a tool, so it is logical to create such projects that would be an incentive to learn and use it, for example, in the digital sphere.

Moderators:

• Natalya TRUKHANOVSKAYA, Rector of the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute
• Tatyana VOROZHTSOVA, project manager of the Conference Management Office of TASS

Speakers (TBS):

• Radik BATYRSHIN, Chairman of the Mir International Television and Radio Company
• Pavel SHEVTSOV, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo (online)
• Sergey ANDRYUSHIN, Vice-Rector for International Activities, St. Petersburg University (online)
• Rizvan GUSEYNOV, Director of the History of Caucasus Center, Associate Professor of the UNESCO Department, Republic of Azerbaijan
• Andrey KORABLEV, Head of the Bylina ethnocultural community, Atyrau, Kazakhstan
• Roman TEMNIKOV, political analyst of the Bakinskiy Rabochiy newspaper
• Elizaveta KOCHETKOVA, Development Director of Zhivaia Klassika Fund
• Said ILYASOV, blogger who popularizes the Russian language

Session 3: “Human resources are key: issues and prospects for the development of the media education system”
Henri Barbusse Str., 16, Astrakhan State Opera & Ballet Theatre, Theater Lounge, floor 5

The challenging task to develop a multipolar world can not be performed without active involvement of mass media. It requires professionals who are not only well-informed about the current agenda but also are able to provide appropriate content in the relevant format. What should be done to improve future journalists’ qualification and social responsibility? How to achieve proper balance between theory and practice at the university so that the students get ready for real work in mass media? What advanced training should current editorial staff complete to be on trend? How to arrange exchange of experience, best practices and current methods of operation between journalists from different countries? What should be done to make international cooperation issues interesting and important for a wide public and the youth? The representatives of state authorities, educational institutions, mass media from the Caspian Region states will answer these questions.

Moderators:

• Tatiana VOROZHTSOVA, Project Manager of the of the Conference Department of the Russian News Agency TASS
• Galina BELOLIPSKAYA, Head of the Department of Journalism and Media Communications, ASU

Speakers:

• Yuliya ABLETS, Deputy Director General of the Dialogue Regions autonomous non-profit organization, advisor at the New Media Workshop (online)
• Gulnora BOBOZHONOVA, Director of Retraining Center for Journalists, Republic of Uzbekistan
• Nurmammet KAKABAEV, chief reporter of the International Information Department, TDH
• Igor KARTAVYKH, Head of Sputnik News Agency, Republic of Azerbaijan
• Anna KOVTUNOVA, Head of RT Educational Projects Service, RT School advisor
• Denis KRIVOSHEEV, host of the program Big Week on Khabar TV Channel, Republic of Kazakhstan
• Zhanna OISHIBAEVA, Editor-in-chief of Liter newspaper
• Ivan PECHISHCHEV, Associate Professor at the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications, Perm State University, Director of the Commonwealth of New Media Teachers autonomous non-profit organization
• Dzhamil SADYKHBEKOV, Rector of the Humanitarian Institute of Commonwealth Countries, Vice-Rector of the International Slavic Institute, Professor at the ISI, Chairman of the Commission on Media Relations of the Council of Nationalities of the Government of Moscow, Chairman of the Russian National Congress of Ethnojournalists, member of the Public Council of the Moscow House of Nationalities
• Andrey SHCHERBAKOV, Director of Research Department of the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute

Session 4: “Civilian sector in a global media perspective: current formats for building trust and mutual understanding”
Henri Barbusse Str., 16, Astrakhan State Opera & Ballet Theatre, Blue Hall, floor 6

Today, every person is actually a media agent, transmitting their values by communicating in social networks and in real life with other people. How can we target opinion leaders and bloggers on the topics of strengthening peace and mutual understanding with other peoples? What topics and formats in this sphere are most in demand, and which ones should be developed? Do journalists and bloggers who specialize in issues that aren’t the most popular but are very important need state support? What are the well-known projects in this sphere in the Caspian states?

Moderators:

• Anna BELIKOVA, senior lecturer at Moscow State University, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration and MGIMO, Advisor to the Russia-Islamic World Strategic Vision Group, Head of the RT Protocol Department, Founder of the Orientalists Club
• Tatiana NEFEDOVA, project manager, TASS Conference Department

Speakers (TBS):

• Svetlana SMIRNOVA, First Deputy Secretary General – Head of the General Secretariat of the Assembly of Peoples of Eurasia (Senezh Forum)
• Andrey KHUDOLEEV, Executive Secretary of the Commission for Information Support of the State National Policy of the Presidential Council on Interethnic Relations, Deputy Chairman of the Council of the Assembly of Peoples of Russia
• Aleksey CHADAEV, philosopher, Director of the Institute for the Development of Parliamentarism, public figure
• Zheenaly KAMBARALIYEV, Editor-in-Chief, Central Asia TV, Kyrgyzstan
• Nika GANICH, journalist, TV presenter, blogger, author of gastronomic guides
• Irina IMAMKULIYEVA, Head of department of the Turkmenistan State News Agency (TDH), Turkmenistan
• Maira IBRAHIMOVA, administrator of the Maira Baku Telegram channel
• Dmitry YAKUNIN, Deputy Executive Director of the Regional Cinematography Support Fund of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, presentation of the Caspian International Film Forum (online)
• Zhanar TULINDINOVA, Executive Director of the Institute of Parliamentarism under the Presidential Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Session 5: “Global integration of the Russian radio business”
Henri Barbusse Str., 16, Astrakhan State Opera & Ballet Theatre, Second Stage, floor 2

Moderator:

• Dmitry MEDNIKOV, Managing Director of Russian Media Group JCS

Opening speech:

• Lyubov MALYAREVSKAYA, CEO of Russian Media Group
• Andrey TITOV, Deputy Director General for Legal Affairs of Russian Media Group

Speakers:

• Stanislav SKALABAN, Director of Digital Sales, Russian Media Group, Moscow: Radio Transformation in the Radio Holding Ecosystem
• Irina KUMACHEVA, Fresh Wind Holding, Russia: Legal Aspects of Radio Digital Resources
• Aleksandr KOBZAR, Development Director, Dala, Republic of Kazakhstan: Public Diplomacy and Social Media as a Factor of Peoples’ Rapprochement
• Tatiana PERVUSHINA, Director General of Grammophon Grozny, Grozny: Specifics of Attracting Advertisers in Tourism

Discussion panel
“International North – South Transport Corridor. New realities – new opportunities”
Henri Barbusse Str., 16, Astrakhan State Opera & Ballet Theatre, Grand Hall, floor 4

Moderator:

• Nikolay YAKOVLEV, Head of the TASS Press Center

Speakers:

• Igor LEVITIN, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation
• Igor BABUSHKIN, Governor of Astrakhan Region
• Dmitry VOLVACH, Deputy Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation (online)
• Mehdi AKUCHEKIAN, Consul-General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Astrakhan
• Sergey MILUSHKIN, Director General of the SEZ Lotus
• Sanjay AIYER, Director of the Blue Bird Logistics, Republic of India
• Sergey SABUROV, Deputy Director General of the Directorate of International Transport Corridors
• Aleksandr SHPAKOVSKY, Minister-Counsellor of the Embassy of the Republic of Belarus in the Russian Federation
• Olga KARTASHOVA, Director of the Caspian Admiral General F.M. Apraksin Sea and River Transport Institute, branch of Volga State University of Water Transport
• Ilgar VELIZADE, political expert, publicist, Head of the South Caucasus Political Club, Republic of Azerbaijan
• Igor KOROTCHENKO, Director General of Caspian Institute for Strategic Studies