Vitebsk will host the XI Forum of Regions of Belarus and Russia in 2024
A delegation from the Vitebsk region, led by the chairman of the regional executive committee, Alexander Subbotin, took an active part in this crucial integration event. At the plenary session, the head of the region delivered a report on the joint activities of Belarus and Russia in ensuring biological safety. At the end of his speech, Alexander Subbotin invited everyone to visit Vitebsk, a hospitable city in the north of Belarus, in 2024. This will mark the beginning of the second decade of operation for this large-scale platform designed to strengthen regional cooperation between the two countries.
In the capital of Bashkortostan, the agenda of the event was traditionally diverse. Sectional meetings discussed issues of humanitarian cooperation, public diplomacy, implementation of a unified industrial and agrarian policy, development of information technologies, and several other areas. As reported by the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee's Economy Committee, members of the Vitebsk delegation presented proposals for intensifying contacts and implementing joint projects within the framework of union programs, as well as initiatives for cooperation in tourism and the volunteer movement.
Among the forum's most significant events is the signing of interregional cooperation agreements. Alongside seeking new partner regions, Vitebsk Oblast is focusing on updating previously signed cooperation documents. For instance, at a venue in Ufa, the heads of Vitebsk Oblast and Bashkortostan signed a comprehensive plan of measures in the trade, economic, scientific, technical, and humanitarian spheres for 2023-2025, building upon a previously concluded cooperation agreement. Furthermore, during the preparations for the oblast delegation's visit to Bashkortostan, a review of previously reached interregional agreements and negotiations with new potential partners were conducted. This work also yields results, including at the level of district and city administrations. For example, a similar three-year cooperation plan was signed in April with Kostroma Oblast. Documents with the Republic of Karelia and Nizhny Novgorod Oblast are currently under negotiation. In May of this year, at the International Investment Forum in Vitebsk, a cooperation agreement was signed between the oblast center and Arkhangelsk.
Business communication is an integral part of the forum's program. The joint meeting of the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Belarus and Russia discussed, among other things, opportunities for improving logistics and transport interaction, and the development of family entrepreneurship. At the "Made in Belarus" exhibition of national economic achievements, Vitebsk Oblast was represented by Naftan Open Joint Stock Company and Polotsk-Steklovolokno Open Joint Stock Company, Orsha Linen Mill, and Belwest Shoe Holding. Solely within the framework of preparation for the event, approximately 30 enterprises from Vitebsk Oblast signed over a hundred contracts totaling about 1.5 billion Russian rubles and nearly 90 million US dollars.
An important addition to the forum is the cultural program. For three days, the "Street of Friendship" festival of ethnic cultures was held in Ufa, within the framework of which the "Vitebsk Courtyard" was set up. This venue showcases the works of masters from the Dokshitsy District House of Crafts. Cultural and folklore traditions were presented by one of the best ensembles in Belarus – the song, music, and dance ensemble "Talaka" of the Vitebsk Regional Philharmonic.
"Vitbichi"