Discussion "BRICS Charity and Humanitarian Cooperation: Creating a Favourable Environment for People’s Lives"

On June 19, 2025, a discussion titled "BRICS Charity and Humanitarian Cooperation: Creating a Favourable Environment for People’s Lives" will take place in St. Petersburg as part of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF). 

Humanitarian cooperation stands as a cornerstone of BRICS efforts to enhance quality of life and bolster social stability. Central to this mission is cultivating trust, enhancing collaborative impact, and energising civil society engagement. 

Participants will explore how the BRICS nations can foster better living conditions amidst contemporary challenges, harness innovative technologies and digital tools for more impactful humanitarian aid, and broaden civil society's involvement in charitable, volunteer, and outreach endeavours. The event will also address the need to reduce the politicisation of humanitarian aid and reinforce trust among member states. 

Moderating the discussion will be Dmitry Polikanov, Deputy Head at the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independent States Affairs, Compatriots Living Abroad, and International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo).

Taking part in the discussion will be:

• Victoria Panova, Head of the BRICS Expert Council-Russia, Vice Rector at HSE University and Russian W20 Sherpa
• Olga Batalina, First Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation
• Oleg Volkov, Member of the Expert Council at the Federation Council Committee on Agrarian and Food Policy and Environmental Management
• Anna Guseinova, Social anthropologist and Head of the Local Community Centres Project at Pyaterochka Retail Chain