Russia’s ‘The Arctic. The Ice Has Broken’ Forum-Festival to Bring Together 200 Volunteers and Over 3,000 Online Participants from All Regions

The first Forum-Festival ‘The Arctic. The Ice Has Broken’ will take place in the Komi Republic city of Usinsk on 16–18 August as part of the main events of Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2021–2023, which are being organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Clean Arctic autonomous non-government organization. The forum-festival will bring together volunteers, representatives of environmental organizations and movements, social activists, and students from all 85 regions of Russia and Luhansk People's Republic, Donetsk People's Republic, Zaporozhye region, as well as anyone else who would like to participate in the forum’s discussions. More than 3,000 people from all over Russia are expected to join the business part of the programme online.

The Arctic single-industry town Usinsk will become the capital of northern volunteerism and a platform for dialogue between society, business, and the government. Active young people from all over the country will immerse themselves in the Arctic atmosphere to discuss the

 development of the Russian North, the preservation of cultural and natural heritage, the tourism potential of the Arctic zone, and much more, together with government officials, educational organizations, and major companies.

“The Arctic is our home. We want as many people as possible to see this unique territory and get a feel for its rich cultural and natural heritage. The Forum-Festival ‘The Arctic. The Ice Has Broken’ is a great opportunity for young people from all over the country to not only get acquainted with the Arctic and learn about its potential, but also to think about the development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. May their hearts, which are filled with love for their native land and for the cold Arctic, truly light up at this forum,” Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic Alexey Chekunkov said.

The event will be held under the slogan ‘The Arctic: A Cold Territory for Burning Hearts’. The cornerstone event of the forum-festival will be a plenary session held in Q&A format with volunteers. The session is expected to be attended by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Viktoria Abramchenko, Minister for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic Alexey Chekunkov, Federal Supervisory Natural Resources Management Service Director Svetlana Radionova, Komi Republic Head Vladimir Uyba, Member of the Federation Council’s Committee on the Federal Structure, Regional Policies, Local Self-Governance, and Affairs of the North Yelena Shumilova, as well as representatives of the scientific community, businesses, and public organizations. In addition, the forum-festival will include a session on the development of the Arctic, after which volunteers will brainstorm to offer their ideas and solutions on key issues for the Arctic territories. A public broadcast of the discussions will be held for anyone who wants to view them.

In addition to discussions, the programme will include thematic training sessions and master classes. Participants will meet with the creators of the feature documentary film Voices of the Arctic’, who will answer questions from volunteers after they watch the film. Arctic volunteers will be able to test their strength in the ‘Race of Heroes’, experience a ‘survival school’ in the Arctic together with specialists from the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations, work on skills required to clean up oil spills, and also learn to take care of the fragile nature of the Arctic by planting a mountain ash alley. To commemorate the forum-festival, the participants will draw a colourful mural on the wall of a high-rise building in Usinsk. Artists will be invited to help them create an art object.

The event will be held with the support of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic, the Russian Federation Council and State Duma, the government of the Komi Republic, and the administration of the municipality of Usinsk.

Environmental protection, including issues related to climate change, is among the top priorities of Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2021–2023. Considering the rapid climate change being seen in the Arctic, including the degradation of permafrost and the emission of gas hydrates, Russia believes the primary objectives for mitigating the negative effects of climate change are to further adapt life-sustaining activities and ensure resilience to its consequences, preserve and restore the environment, use natural resources in a sustainable manner, and support the health of Arctic ecosystems, including the marine environment and the preservation of biodiversity, in particular migratory birds.