International Science Fiction Symposium

Sergey Lukyanenko is one of the most widely published science fiction authors in Russia and a recipient of numerous literary awards in the genre. According to Vedomosti newspaper, over 9 million copies of his books were sold between 1996 and 2022, including more than 400,000 copies of Night Watch. Many of his works have been adapted into films such as Night Watch, Day Watch, Asiris Nuna, and Rough Draft.

Sergey Pereslegin is a leading Russian expert in prognostics and the scientific director of the “SocioSoft” project. He also serves as the Director of the Knowledge Management Center at the International Research Institute for Advanced Systems (IRIAS). A physicist, sociologist, military historian, and science fiction theorist, Pereslegin is known for his research and publicist works.

Russian sociologist and political scientist, PhD in political science and professor at the Higher School of Economics.

He is a member of the Board of Directors and chairs VCIOM's Scientific Council. Valery also is the editor-in-chief of the “Monitoring. Social and Economic Changes” journal.

Since 2012, he serves as the Advisor to the First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office.

Valery Fedorov is an active researcher and lecturer, and heads VCIOM's industrial departments at the leading universities in the country: MGIMO, HSE, and RSUH.

He was awarded the Order of Honor, the Order of Friendship, the Medal of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” of the II Degree, the Certificate of Honor of the President of the Russian Federation, Commendation of the President of the Russian Federation. Fedorov is the author of numerous scientific publications and books.

From 1984 to 1991, Andrei Shelyutto served as Senior Art Editor in several Soviet publishing houses and worked as an artist at the Bolshoi Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre of the Byelorussian SSR. He has also worked as a designer for the English National Opera and the English Royal Ballet.

 From 1993 to 1995, Shelyutto held multiple positions, including those of Art Director of IMA-Press Publishing House, Art Director of the Moscow Art Magazine, Creative Director of Premier SV advertising agency, Chief Designer of the NTV and NTV+ television channels, and Art Director of the Russian Television. Additionally, he has been the Art Director of newspapers such as “Gazeta,” “Izvestia,” and “Moskovskiye Novosti,” as well as magazines like “The New Times,” “ArtChronica,” and the “Hermitage Magazine,” along with the Hermitage Foundation. Shelyutto was also the Director of the Trottola Gallery in Florence and Art Director of Manifesta – European Biennial of Contemporary Art. 

For several years, he has been a designer for the Russian Pavilion in Venice, contributing to various biennales of contemporary art, theaters, forums, and museums.

Shelyutto is a founding partner of Faro design studio, operating in St. Petersburg, Florence, and Moscow. 

His achievements include the UN Secretary-General Award, the Russian Federation Government Award in the field of culture, The Art Newspaper Award in the “Exhibition of the Year” category for the design of exhibition by Ilya and Emilia Kabakov at the Hermitage, the TEFI Award, the Silver Medal of The Art Directors Club of New York, the Grand Prix and several awards at the International Poster Biennale in Warsaw. He has also won numerous gold medals in international competitions for his design work in newspapers, television channels, magazines, advertising, books, and more.

Semyon Ilyich Mikhailovsky is an art historian, architectural historian, curator, and educator. 

He is the rector of the Ilya Repin St. Petersburg Academy of Arts and a Distinguished Artist of the Russian Federation. Mikhailovsky serves as a member of the Presidential Council for Culture and Art of the Russian Federation and is an active member of the Russian Academy of Arts. He is also an honorary professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, the Guangzhou Academy of Fine Arts, the Academy of Fine Arts in Rome, and an honorary doctor of the Albertina Academy of Fine Arts in Turin. Mikhailovsky has curated and organized exhibitions of Russian art in such cities as Stockholm, Miami, Madrid, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Seoul, Rome, Bologna, Ravenna, and Urbino. From 2015 to 2019, he served as the Commissioner of the Russian Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

Elizaveta Stanislavna Likhacheva

Director of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, art historian, and architectural historian.

Born in Moscow on July 20, 1978. She graduated with honors from the Department of History and Theory of Art at the Faculty of History, Lomonosov Moscow State University. Elizaveta Likhacheva is a specialist in early Italian Baroque.

Since 2006, she has worked at the A.V. Shchusev State Research Museum of Architecture. 

From 2010 to 2012, she headed the academic department for the popularization of architecture.

From June 2014 to March 2017, she served as Deputy Director at the Konstantin and Viktor Melnikov State Museum. 

In 2017, she was appointed Director of the A.V. Shchusev State Museum of Architecture. 

Since 2023, she has been the Director of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.

John Aggrey is a versatile multi-sectoral personality with experiences in the fields of Business Development, Corporate Communications, International Diplomacy, SDGs Advocacy and Youth Cooperation.

Founder and CEO of Ghana Russia Center for Commerce and Relations as well as  HIRED Consult. 

He has engaged on both local and international spaces as an Industry Expert, Speaker and Facilitator.

Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in St. John’s (Canada), Doctor of Science in the field of history of Russian literature. Professor at Memorial University.   Has served as the Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation in Canada since 2008. He fosters the establishment of friendly ties between scientists, educators, and government officials from Russia and Canada. Author of numerous books and articles on Russian literature and representatives of the artistic intelligentsia.   Believes that “Canada and Russia share much more than just a love for hockey,” and actively promotes Canadian-Russian relations, as well as historical and cultural connections.

Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation,Doctor of Political Sciences, Doctor of Law, Professor. Member of the Scientific Council of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, expert of the Russian Society of Political Scientists and the Russian Council on International Affairs. He is a full member of the Academy of Military Sciences of the Russian Federation and the Russian Academy of Legal Sciences. 

He is the author of more than 550 scientific papers on various topics of political science, international relations, conflictology, international law, criminal law of Russia and foreign countries. A number of monographs have been published in the USA, Germany and France. Author and head of the master's program "Hybrid Warfare: Management Technologies and Security". He was awarded state and departmental awards.

Elvira Anvarbekovna Dovletyarova is a Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Vice-President of the Association of Landscape Architects of Russia (ALAROS). Honored Staff of Education of the Russian Federation. Author of more than 90 educational and methodological works and scientific papers, including 48 in Scopus/WoS journals, h-index (Scopus) - 12. Head of a number of research topics.

Elvira Anvarbekovna Dovletyarova is the organizer of international conferences and symposia, including the annual international conference "Food quality and food safety" (Moscow, Astana, 2021-2024).

Formerly, he led the Economics and Public Policy Division. His research spans sustainability, community empowerment, socioeconomics and higher education. He previously served as Executive Officer at Commonwealth Tertiary Education Facility under National Higher Education Research Institute.  Apart from that, he also focuses on developing digital skills for local businesses and is passionate about community development and creative arts education.

Dr Behera has nearly two decades of experience in defence and security domains. He specialises on India’s external security challenges, and on issues related to arms procurement, defence technology and industrial base, military spending, defence cooperation and the geoeconomics. He has been closely associated with, and prepared reports for, several Committees/Study Groups/Task Forces set up by the Indian Ministry of Defence and other government agencies. His book on India’s Defence Economy: Planning, Budgeting, Industry and Procurement was published by Routledge, London in 2021

Scientific specialization – food safety, quality management systems, sustainable development. Editor-in-chief of the journal «Food Systems».

Chairman of TC 154 «Food additives, flavors, edible salt». Represents Russia in the International Organization for Standardization,  Member of the UN Working Group on Standardization.

Chairman of the Russian-Chinese Working Subgroup on cooperation in the field of standardization in the agricultural and food industries.

Member of the Board of Trustees of the Kolba Prize for Women in Science.

In 2021, she was awarded the medal "For Contribution to the Implementation of State Policy in the Field of Scientific and Technological Development.

People’s Architect of the Russian Federation, an Academician of the Russian Academy of Arts, an Academician of the Russian Academy of Architecture and Construction Sciences, a member of the Council for Culture and Art under the President of the Russian Federation, a member of the Public Council under the Ministry of Construction of Russia, a professor at the Moscow Architectural Institute (MARCHI), and the President of the Union of Architects of Russia and the Union of Moscow Architects.

He was born on April 1, 1954, in Korkino, Chelyabinsk region. In 1977, he graduated from MARCHI. From 1977 to 2020, he was the Chief Architect of Metrogiprotrans JSC. From 2020 to 2024, he served as the Chief Architect of the Mosinzhproekt Institute.

Shumakov is the author and leader of creative teams that designed more than fifty stations of the Moscow Metro.

He has received both national and international architectural awards.

Nikolai Shumakov is the first and so far the only Russian architect to be awarded the prestigious Auguste Perret Prize for outstanding contributions to the application of modern technologies in architecture (Zhivopisny Bridge in Moscow, Terminal A of Vnukovo Airport, and the designs of Moscow Metro stations).

Chief Cardiovascular Surgeon of the Ministry of Health of Russia, President of the All-Russian Public Organization “Nation’s Health League,” President of the Association of Cardiovascular Surgeons of Russia, and Chairman of the Commission for the Protection of Citizens’ Health and Healthcare Development under the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation.

 He was born in 1939 in Ochamchira, Abkhazia. In 1965, he graduated from the First Moscow Medical Institute (now Sechenov University), completed his postgraduate studies there in 1968, and was appointed a senior research fellow at the Bakulev Institute of Cardiovascular Surgery. In 1994, he was elected Director of the Bakulev Scientific Center for Cardiovascular Surgery of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences (RAMS) and served as its director until 2019. Since 2019, he has been the President of the Bakulev National Medical Research Center of Cardiovascular Surgery under the Ministry of Health.  Since 1994, Bokeria has been a full member of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, a member of its Presidium since 2003, and an Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences since 2011. 

Leo Bokeria is a member of numerous international medical associations and societies, including the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS, 1991), a board member of the European Society of Cardiovascular Surgery (ESCVS, 1992), a member of the Scientific Council of the International Cardiothoracic Center in Monaco (1992), a member of the Serbian Academy of Sciences (1997), and an honorary member of the American College of Surgeons (ACS, 1999).  

   He is part of a select group of cardiac surgeons worldwide capable of performing the entire range of heart surgeries using artificial circulation for various pathologies.

  He holds over 150 patents for inventions and has written more than 2,800 published works, including monographs on key topics in cardiovascular surgery, published in journals, both domestically and internationally.

  Bokeria is a recipient of the Lenin Prize (1976), the USSR State Prize (1986), State Prize of the Russian Federation (2002), and the Russian Government Prize (2003). He was awarded the title of Honored Scientist of the Russian Federation (1994), is a full recipient of the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland” (2020), and has been decorated with the Order of Alexander Nevsky (2015), the Order of Honor (Georgia, 1999), and the Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh II Degree (2001).

Seasoned organisational leader with three decades of public and private sector experience and specialisation of twenty-five years in the film industry. She is currently Founder-CEO of Cinevesture.

Moving on therefrom to become the Managing Director of the National Film Development Corporation, India from 2006 to 2018.

Nina was instrumental in introducing several policy changes and brand initiatives, including setting up Film Bazaar in 2007 and making it one of the biggest film markets in Asia. In 2001, she set up Indian participation in Cannes Film Festival & Market under a national umbrella. She also spearheaded the single largest digital film and sound restoration program in India. Under her watch, NFDC produced several award-winning films, including The Lunchbox, Qissa, and Alms for the Blind Horse.

leading Russian Sinologist, Director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies (IAAS) at Moscow State University, a professor at several Chinese universities, and a top expert for major Russian companies and banks, including Sber, VTB, and AFK Sistema.

He has conducted research by invitation at universities in Italy, the United States, Spain, France, Germany, England, and Poland. An accomplished science fiction writer and publicist, he is a member of the Union of Writers of Belarus and the author of award-winning science fiction novels, recognized with honors such as the Eurocon-2006, Golden Roscon-2010, and Star Bridge-2006 prizes.

Russian author known for his visionary fiction works, including “Enclaves” and “Arcade”, and for his futurological work “Simulator of Madness: How the Fourth Industrial Revolution Will Transform Homo Sapiens into Homo Servus.”

Vice-Rector for International Relations and Economic Affairs at Abkhazian State University, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Abkhazia. 

Was born in 1976 in Sukhum, Abkhazia. He graduated from the Gorlovka State Institute of Foreign Languages in Ukraine, earning a PhD in English, Russian language and literature. 

He began his career in 1999 at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Abkhazia, where he rose to the position of Minister of Foreign Affairs. 

Mr. Gvinjia has been actively involved in politics both in his own country (serving as an assistant to the President of the Republic) and on the international stage (in Latin American countries, the South Pacific region, and more). In addition to his diplomatic work, Maxim Gvinjia has made his mark in the arts, participating in the creation of the French director Eric Baudelaire’s film “Letters to Max,” which helped showcase the cultural heritage of Abkhazia on the international stage.

Director of the Agrobiotechnological Department at RUDN University and a Doctor of Agricultural Sciences. She has been honored with a Certificate of Merit from the Ministry of Agriculture of the Russian Federation. Pakina is the author of over 90 educational and scientific publications, with 78 appearing in Scopus and WoS journals, and she holds an h-index of 16 (Scopus).  She has six patents and leads multiple R&D projects, as well as the scientific school “Plant Growing and Farming in Tropical and Subtropical Regions.” Under her guidance, numerous scientific schools are held, including the BRICS fall school “Advanced Skills in Agro Research,” taught in English and attracting 100 participants from six countries.

Essayist, and geopolitical commentator. As a science fiction author, he has published several books, including The Beloved of My Beloved, co-authored with British writer Ian Watson. Roberto is the only Italian ever to receive the BSFA Award (British Science Fiction Association Award) in 2010. As an essayist, he is particularly known for his book The Myth of September 11 and his book on Hollywoodism as the "Invisible Ideology of the Collective West." 

Roberto, also a commentator, focuses on discussing the prospects and consequences of the emerging multipolar world.

Began writing and translating in the science fiction genre from English at the age of twenty. By the late 1980s, he had succeeded in introducing the Serbian audience to the genre of contemporary horror literature by editing the famous Emitor fanzine and numerous collections of contemporary science fiction for Serbian readers. He translated into Serbian the works of Stephen King, Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, Dan Simmons, Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Ian McDonald, Alan Moore, T. H. White, and many others. To date, he has written and published five collections of short stories and six novels (his most famous novels from the “Teslaverse” series are The Man Who Killed Tesla and Tesla's Children). His latest novel, The Florentine Doublet in two volumes, co-authored with another renowned Serbian science fiction author Ivan Nešić, will soon be published in Russia.

Architect and founder of Cybertecture, a company that integrates architecture, engineering, and technology to create groundbreaking futuristic solutions. Notable projects of the company: The Pad in Dubai and OPod, a modular housing solution for the homeless in Hong Kong. As a pioneer in smart cities and sustainable design, James also worked as a cyber consultant on Wong Kar-wai’s film 2046. Globally recognized, James created The Capital project in Mumbai, advancing his mission to address human challenges through design and technology.

An international relations specialist, she held various diplomatic positions at the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Russian Embassy in Denmark from 2004 to 2013, and worked in the Foreign Policy Directorate of the Russian Presidential Administration from 2013 to 2023.

She holds a Ph.D. in Political Science. Her research interests focus on the Arctic in the system of international relations, Greenland, and Scandinavian countries’ foreign policy. She is the author of numerous scholarly publications on the issues of the Arctic region.

Expert and advisor in the Iraqi presidency during the term of the current Iraqi president, Dr. Abdul Latif Rashid. He worked in the fields of humanitarian relief and field journalism in many countries, including Iraq, Syria and Lebanon