The Future of humanity discussed at the International Symposium "Inventing the Future"
Prospective technologies, the future of the multipolar world and civilizations were discussed by participants of the opening plenary discussion of the International Symposium "Inventing the Future," held on November 4 at the National Centre RUSSIA grounds. The theme of the session was "The Philosophy of the Future."
"The unity of the people is determined not only by traditions but also by a vision of the future. A dream, if you will. And we, of course, have dreamed and continue to dream of a sovereign and strong country, a just order of the world, where people of every nationality have the opportunity to realize their talents, be happy and successful, and live in a safe world. The National Centre RUSSIA was established by our President's decision as a continuation of the RUSSIA EXPO. It is very important and appropriate that it begins its work with the first international symposium dedicated to looking toward the future. It is also not coincidental that the opening of the RUSSIA EXPO, the National Centre, and the Symposium takes place on a very significant day for Russia, a national holiday — the National Unity Day," emphasized First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian federation Sergei Kiriyenko in his speech.
The priorities for the society development have remained unchanged for a long time, noted President of the National Research Centre "Kurchatov Institute" Mikhail Kovalchuk.
"Every artist, composer, poet, architect, and scientist creates a universe from a minuscule number of abstract symbols. To materialize matter, energy is needed. These are the two eternal priorities. No matter what future we build, we need matter and energy. And the third, most important priority, is intellect. Natural one, not artificial. Russia has always possessed a powerful material, energy, and intellectual base. Therefore, I believe that the future will be bright," Mikhail Kovalchuk emphasized.
The main themes of the opening plenary discussion included the formation of the society of the future, the creation of a living environment, the influence of artificial intelligence on life of an individual, and the development of technologies. The possibilities that Russia can offer to civilization were also discussed. It is now essential to choose a path for development, noted Cyberus co-founder Yuri Maximov.
"As humanity, we have stopped working on the common things. Currently, a vast amount of resources is spent on repeating existing solutions. Furthermore, the current architecture of the digital world does not provide us with the necessary level of sovereignty and security. Humanity faces a challenge: either we continue on the same path, copying old technologies, or we start restructuring the architecture based on current needs and create technologies that will serve people — but not at the expense of their freedom or security. Russia can provide the world with this new perspective on technology, engineering skills, and justice," Yuri Maximov emphasized.
It is necessary to shape the image of the future, including through the creation of concepts for living spaces in museums, noted the Executive Director of the Museum of the Future in the United Arab Emirates, Majed аl-Mansoori.
"We have pursued the path of immersive experiences and created an exposition to help people understand how technology affects decision-making. Following this, there was a proposal to create the position of Minister of Artificial Intelligence, who was ultimately appointed. The museum serves as a platform where everyone can imagine and create," Majed аl-Mansoori explained.
"When we dream of the future, we bring possibilities closer," emphasized Italian science fiction writer Roberto Quaglia during the discussion.
"Everything must start in the present, aligning with reality — so we can make accurate predictions. The exponential growth of technology is changing our lives, and changes are happening so rapidly that one can easily get lost in them. It is essential to acknowledge the multipolarity of the existing world in this context. We live in a single complex space, and all changes are part of our imagination, which creates new structures," Roberto Quaglia emphasized.
Participants in the opening discussion of the Symposium "The Philosophy of the Future" also included architect, founder of James Law Cybertecture, James Law; Rector of the Ilya Repin St. Petersburg State Academy of Arts, curator of the exposition "Heritage for the Future" Semyon Mikhailovsky; and other guests.
The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is being held from November 4 to 6. Participants include scientists, researchers, futurists, science fiction writers, and representatives from government bodies from 101 countries, including Russia, India, Italy, Iran, China, the UAE, Serbia, the USA, and France. The program features over 60 sessions across four tracks: "Future of Human," "Future of Technology," "Future of Multipolar World," and "Future of Civilizations." The program and event broadcasts are available at the website future.russia.ru.
The International Symposium "Inventing the Future" is the first event of the National Centre RUSSIA, which was established on July 1, 2024, by the order of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin. The Centre aims to preserve the legacy of the International RUSSIA EXPO and showcase the achievements of the country and its citizens. The work of the Centre involves federal authorities, state companies, corporations, and regions.