MOSCOW. Nov 11 (Interfax) - The Nevsky International Ecological Congress is expected to be held in St. Petersburg in May 2025, experts, scientists, statesmen and public figures from different countries will attend, Russian Federation Council Chairperson Valentina Matviyenko said.
"The 11th Nevsky Congress is scheduled for May 22-23, 2025. The organizers of the congress are the Federation Council, the Russian government, the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Ministry, and also the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS states. Traditionally, it is expected to be held in St. Petersburg, in the Tauride Palace, the headquarters of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly," Matviyenko said at a meeting of the congress organizing committee.
Interest in the congress has constantly increased for the 16 years of the congress's work, she said.
"Seven hundred people from 17 countries attended it in 2008, and 1,500 people from 52 states attended the tenth congress last year," she said.
"And of course, we should constantly elevate this level, actively involving colleagues from all over the world - experts, scientists, statesmen and public figures - everyone who is ready to discuss vital ecological issues on an equal, fair basis, without politicization, dictate and pressure," Matviyenko said.
She said she regrets that ecological problems are becoming an object for political speculation increasingly often. Such approach is unacceptable to Russia, she said.
"We believe that environmental protection is something that should unite countries and peoples, not draw division lines between them," Matviyenko said.