The Second Meeting of the Organizing Committee for the Preparation and Holding of the VII International Municipal BRICS Forum was held in Smolny.

On August 21, 2025, a meeting of the IMBRICS Organizing Committee was held in the building of the Administration of St. Petersburg. The event was attended by members of the Organizing Committee, co-organizers, as well as invited representatives of government bodies, business and public structures.

Vice-Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Pavel Itkin and Chairman of the Legislation Committee Vsevolod Belikov addressed the participants with a welcoming speech from the Parliament of St. Petersburg, and from the executive branch - Acting Chairman of the Territorial Development Committee Elena Kudryavtseva.

During the meeting, a wide range of issues related to the preparation of the VII IMBRICS Forum, which will be held on November 20-21 in St. Petersburg, were considered: the formation of the business program, the participation of foreign speakers and representatives of foreign regions, as well as interim results of the work for the past period. Information was separately presented on the trip of the Organizing Committee members to Brazil, during which meetings were held with representatives of the BRICS Business Council and major entrepreneurs who confirmed their interest in participating in the Forum.

“Work on preparing the Forum is being carried out in close cooperation with our foreign partners. Today, we can already talk about the high interest of the business circles of the BRICS countries in participating in the event in St. Petersburg,” noted Mikhail Cherepanov, Chairman of the Organizing Committee, in his commentary.

The co-organizers and partners of the Forum made reports, presenting plans for cooperation, as well as proposals for the development of the business and cultural program. It was emphasized that the VII IMBRICS Forum should become a key international platform for inter-municipal dialogue, presentation of investment projects and conclusion of agreements.

During the meeting, the formation of a delegation to Vietnam with departure on September 28 was announced. Preparation of this trip is considered an important stage in expanding international cooperation.

"The business mission to Vietnam will allow us to build a direct dialogue with business circles and strengthen the position of St. Petersburg as one of the key partners of the countries of Southeast Asia," shared the director of the ANO "BRICS Business Communications Center"
Vladimir Muzharovsky.

A report on the work done over the past period was made by the Co-Chairman of the Organizing Committee Devanir Cavalcantede Lima, who spoke about the formation of delegations from Latin American countries and noted the high interest in participation in the Forum on the part of representatives of municipalities and the business community.

"We are actively working to attract foreign delegates. It is important that the Forum develops not only as a Russian, but also a truly international platform, uniting the efforts of municipalities and businesses," said Devanir Cavalcante de Lima.

At the end of the meeting, welcoming words were heard from representatives of the business and
cultural communities: General Director of the St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution "Congress and Exhibition Bureau" Sergey Azarenkov, Deputy General Director of NEWS.RU Anastasia Buchneva, General Director of the Museum and Exhibition Center "Russia - My History" Oleg Chernyaga.

The meeting confirmed the high level of coordination between Russian and foreign
partners, and also demonstrated a focus on developing a multilateral dialogue in the run-up to the VII IMBRICS Forum.