Latest news with #SPIEF
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
St Petersburg's serene splendour belies a nation at war
Russia's cultural capital St Petersburg exudes peace and beauty, masking the harsh reality of a country entangled in conflict. The captivating sense of calmness, the throngs of people milling about and the huge traffic volumes throughout St Petersburg belies the reality that Russia is in a state of war. St Petersburg is a sprawling cosmopolitan city. It is regarded as the mecca of Russia's culture and heritage, an epicentre of values as well as a haven of Russia's rich history. The city of Peter the Great The identity of being Russian can be easily located to a way of life in the majestic St Petersburg, sometimes referred to affectionately as 'St P'. Museums and art galleries decorate the city founded by Peter the Great in the 17th century. Born in Moscow in 1672, Peter the Great was first the Tsar of Russia and later became Russia's first Emperor from 1721 until his death in 1725, aged only 52 years and four months. His statue riding a horse overlooks the majestic Neva River around which St Petersburg is built. The architecture of the multi-storey buildings is clearly influenced by two factors – war and weather. Weather extremes and river life shape the urban experience Perimeter walls are as wide as nearly one metre. Ferocious winter weather, particularly around January to March, can see temperatures dropping to as low as -35°C. However, in the present summer season, dozens of boats travel with the Neva River's current in one direction, forming a beautiful flotilla. At times they travel pretty close to each other ferrying holiday makers from one end to the other. From Leningrad to modern St P: a city steeped in legacy and economics The metropolis was previously known as Leningrad until it was renamed back to its original name in modernity. ALSO READ: Anton Kobyakov: The quiet power behind Putin's Russia It plays host to the annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia's flagship trade and investment mega event. This year, up to 24 000 delegates from 144 countries participated in SPIEF, signing deals to the tune of 6.3 trillion roubles (about R1.4 trillion), according to the organisers. South Africa's delegation was led by Deputy President Paul Mashatile, accompanied by eight ministers and business leaders. Mashatile delivered a public lecture at St Petersburg State University, the alma mater of legendary Russian leader Lenin, as well as the incumbent, President Vladimir Putin. Sacred scars St Petersburg also has a proud history of resistance. At its centre in Isak Square lies the famous Cathedral of St Isaac. The majestic cathedral is worshipped for surviving 148 bombs fired by Hitler's Nazi Germany's army that attacked during WWII from 1939-1945. Some of the cathedral's huge pillars bear evidence of the scars from the bomb attacks. The Russian authorities have elected to leave the pillars unrepaired as a symbol and constant reminder of the spirit of resilience. A law-abiding city Standing in front of the cathedral and facing the nearby Presidential Library, hundreds of vehicles can be seen throughout the six-lane wide roads. Men, women and children chill in the leafy parks. Everything looks oh so plush. Clearly-marked police vehicles incessantly drive past at high speed, with their siren blaring. At various intersections, uniformed traffic officers assist with traffic controls. Noticeably, there is no jay-walking. Pedestrians cross the roads only at the appropriate spots. The vivid respect for the law and for one another is hard to miss. Beneath the statue of Peter the Great tourists, by a large margin Russians, take turns taking photographs. ALSO READ: Cannes and caviar: Who is SA's Second Lady Humile Mashatile? Leisure and legacy on the water The statue of Peter the Great who founded the city takes pride of place. Picture: iStock You simply cannot claim to have visited St P without posing for pictures with the founder of the city. And then, there's the English Embankment. It runs along the Neva River, which I found to be too large to be described as a river. Instead, it looks more like a lake. Several canals spring from various spots to pour their waters into the Neva River, which itself runs for a total of 392km to neighbouring Finland, recently a new Nato member. Along the English Embankment tourists have fun. Ice creams, cold drinks, lovers and friends alike all mingle harmoniously to share in the enjoyment of St P. The midnight marvel of Palace Bridge On the horizon, the green-painted Palace Bridge serves to assist vehicles and pedestrians to cross from either side to the other. The bridge is famous for the magic it performs every day at midnight. The heavy steel structure that makes up the Palace Bridge separates in the middle. Slowly, one half moves to the left and other half to the right. It is an incredible show to watch. It is hard not to scream in awe of the magic. The practice is a carryover from an old tradition, when the tallest ships had to be accommodated to pass through the bridge. Although the ships no longer exist, St Petersburg has retained the practice, which is a hugely popular attraction for locals and visitors alike. There was a musical concert for the 20 000-plus delegates to SPIEF. It took place at Palace Square, in front of Hermitage Museum. The singing, dance and camaraderie once again triggered in me the lingering question – is Russia at war? NOW READ: Russia warns US against 'military intervention' in Iran-Israel war
Al-Ahram Weekly
2 days ago
- Business
- Al-Ahram Weekly
SPIEF 2025 deepens Egypt-Russia strategic partnership - Economy
Russia underscored its deepening strategic partnership with Egypt during the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), highlighting their ongoing cooperation as a cornerstone of Moscow's engagement with the Arab world. Since Egypt's designation as the forum's guest country in 2022, bilateral relations between both nations have expanded significantly across energy, infrastructure, investment, and education. This marked Cairo as a key partner in Russia's vision for a balanced and multipolar global economy. "The collaboration with Egypt continues to serve as a model for regional cooperation rooted in mutual respect and shared interests," Anton Kobyakov, advisor to the president of the Russian Federation and executive secretary of the SPIEF organizing committee, said at the forum's final press conference. He emphasized that Russia remains committed to fostering ties with Arab states — including Bahrain, the 2025 guest country, and Saudi Arabia, which will hold the role in 2026 — as part of its broader strategy to enhance connectivity across the Global South. Kobyakov also praised Egypt's pivotal role in building consensus on economic sovereignty and its contributions to joint initiatives launched during and after its guest country status. 'Egypt has proven to be a reliable and visionary partner,' he noted. 'Our cooperation reflects the core values of SPIEF—shared growth, balanced dialogue, and regional inclusion.' This year's forum, held under the theme 'Shared Values: The Foundation of Growth in a Multipolar World,' brought together global stakeholders committed to forging new paths of economic cooperation independent of unilateral Western influence. Organized by the Roscongress Foundation, SPIEF 2025 reinforced its reputation as the premier annual platform for international economic policy discussions. Kobyakov reported that 1,060 agreements were signed during the forum, totaling 6.3 trillion rubles (approximately $83 billion). The programme included 350 official sessions, 24 high-level bilateral economic dialogues, 30 sports events, and 18 cultural competitions, demonstrating the forum's comprehensive nature as both a diplomatic and socio-economic platform. With participants from 140 countries and regions, SPIEF 2025 featured the presence of heads of state, ministers, multinational business executives, sovereign wealth funds, and representatives from over 220 educational institutions. The international youth initiative, 'Friends of Leadership,' drew participants from over 60 countries, working alongside UN-affiliated organizations to shape the next generation's perspectives on global governance. Kobyakov announced that St. Petersburg will host a new International Transport and Logistics Forum in 2026, reinforcing Russia's focus on securing resilient and autonomous global trade networks. Furthermore, he emphasized the importance of emerging technologies and regional cooperation frameworks, particularly BRICS and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU), in adapting to a shifting geopolitical landscape. 'The future of global trade lies in the rise of self-reliant macro-regions,' Kobyakov said. 'Those with production, energy, and food security—anchored in political sovereignty—will be best positioned to navigate global instability,' he concluded. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Citizen
Anton Kobyakov: The quiet power behind Putin's Russia
Kobyakov, Putin's trusted advisor, shapes Russia's future from behind the scenes with sharp intellect and calm conviction. Anton Kobyakov, Russian presidential adviser, executive secretary of the Organising Committee for Russia's SCO Presidency in 2014-2015 and Russia's BRICS Presidency in 2015-2016 at the briefing for organisational aspects of hosting the SCO and BRICSD summits on July 07, 2015 in Ufa, Russia. (Photo by Host Photo Agency/Ria Novosti via Getty Images) Anton Kobyakov – remember the name. He is a soft-spoken, erudite and affable Russian politician who serves as a special advisor to Russian President Vladimir Putin. He also serves on the highest echelons of Roscongress, a state-owned enterprise responsible for various strategic initiatives, including international events assembly and management, as well as stakeholder relations and networks development. The unassuming Kobyakov, pictured, holds a degree in biology and a PhD in economics. He is a graduate of the Presidential Russian Civil Service Academy and his official title is 'Professor', although he never takes umbrage with being referred to simply as 'Mr Kobyakov'. He has had an illustrious career as a civil servant. From 1992-2003, he served as deputy governor of Kemerovo region before pro – ceeding to hold various posts in the Presidential Office from 2005 to date. But it is as a political tactician that Kobyakov – born on 23 June, 1968 – is better-known across the Russian circles through the length and breadth of the largest country in the world. Russia's total area stands at 17 098 242km² and also has 11 different time zones. ALSO READ: Trump says will speak to Putin to end Ukraine 'bloodbath' The 57-year-old academic high achiever works in the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation with a calm demeanour as a fountain of wisdom. His civil service rank is '1st class state advisor', loosely translated – an equivalence of the military rank of the army general or fleet admiral. Kobyakov's philosophy is interesting: 'Anything (in life) is either a poison or medicine, depending on the dose,' he told a packed press conference in St Petersburg, Russia's cultural mecca. At the recently completed St Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia's flagship annual event, Kobyakov was tasked with single-handedly briefing up to 100 local and international journalists about the outcome of SPIEF 2025. The event was attended by 24 000 participants from 144 countries, Kobyakov announced. A total of 1 060 trade agreements were entered into over the five days, from 18-22 June. The agreements were worth 6.3 trillion rubles (about R1.4 trillion), said Kobyakov. 'We are seeing rapid fragmentation of the global economy,' he said. ALSO READ: Russia-Ukraine talks resume in Istanbul, but expectations remain low Kobyakov is a trusted ally of Putin, serving him as a special advisor since 2014. His reflections appear to represent Putin's and Putin's expressed views also appear to represent Kobyakov's. The two seem to be intricately intertwined, at least ideologically. As brothers-in-arms, they are no doubt joined at the hip. Reflecting on the current state of unpredictable geopolitics, Kobyakov said: 'We are witnessing tectonic shifts in the world. We see no international law.' Since the outbreak of the Ukraine war in 2022, the European Union, along with most of the West, imposed an unprecedented barrage of sanctions on Russia. Kobyakov said Ukraine was itself a victim of the West's imperial agenda. 'Kyiv is on a tight leash,' he said, before singling out Britain. ALSO READ: UK urges Putin to 'get serious about peace' 'The UK has gone too far in managing this conflict.' The focus of the US and EU pushing to boost their military budgets is another example of the West's disinterest in peaceful coexistence and desire for continuous conflict that can never defeat Russia anyway. 'Russia will never allow any outsider to set their dirty boots on Russian soil,' Kobyakov warned. Given that Putin is 72 and the trusted veteran foreign affairs minister, Sergey Lavrov 75, Kobyakov appears to represent a Russian future that is intrinsically in sync with the present. This is despite his penchant to perform his duties under the radar.
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Mariinsky Theatre premieres world's first opera made with help of AI - Sponsored
Within the framework of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), the Mariinsky Theatre hosted the premiere of the mystic opera Mandragora on the New Stage, the first musical performance in the world to be completed with the use of neural network technologies. Based on the idea of Peter Tchaikovsky and Sergey Rachinsky, the work was recreated and completed by Peter Dranga and neural networks from Sberbank. The libretto was finalized by GigaChat, the musical fabric by SymFormer, and Kandinsky created visual and scenic solutions. All artificial intelligence solutions were implemented under artistic control and with deep respect for the style of the era. German Gref, President, Chairman of the Management Board of Sberbank: "Mandragora is a collaboration between a large number of people: our wonderful musician and composer Peter Dranga, the brilliant maestro Valery Gergiev and, of course, the artists of the Mariinsky Theatre. And all this is implemented together with artificial intelligence, which saves a huge amount of time. Imagine how long it takes to arrange a score for a large symphony orchestra. This is not the composers' favorite work, because it takes up years of their lives. And thanks to artificial intelligence, a person can focus on creativity — the realization of what is inside him. And artificial intelligence can be a very powerful helper and inspiration." Pеter Dranga, composer, Merited Artist of the Russian Federation: "We have a very interesting story of interaction, when artificial intelligence offers options, helps to refine, speeds up the process and makes it even more interesting. And this is by no means a competition, but an absolute collaboration. I think it will help us all a lot in the future. And our opera should change not only our characters, but also everyone around who watched it. Because people always do certain things in the name of something. They are growing spiritually. The opera is about that. And everything happens inside the head that you will see on stage. This is the personification of Mandragora herself." The performance involved more than 170 artists, including the Grand Symphony Orchestra and soloists. The central scenic image is a giant head, inside which fantastic worlds unfold with the help of video mapping. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Daily Tribune
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Tribune
New Pact Targets Russian Tourists
TDT| Manama Bahrain has taken a fresh step in cementing its international tourism reach, signing a strategic memorandum of understanding with Russia's Aeroklub Group during the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), where the Kingdom was honoured as Guest of Honour. The agreement, signed by Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA) CEO Sarah Ahmed Buhijji and Aeroklub Chairman Denis Matyukhin, is expected to boost tourism cooperation, air travel connectivity, and joint promotion campaigns between the two nations, laying the groundwork for Bahrain to attract more visitors from the growing Russian travel market. SPIEF stage presence The deal was formalised on the sidelines of SPIEF 2025, held from June 18 to 21. With Bahrain in the diplomatic spotlight as Guest of Honour, the MoU was one of several key agreements underscoring the Kingdom's global tourism ambitions and deepening bilateral relations with Russia. According to BTEA, the agreement covers areas such as tourism promotion, exchange of industry expertise, development of business tourism incentives, technology collaboration, and joint activations across culture, exhibitions, and hospitality. Tied to strategy Buhijji said the partnership directly supports Bahrain's Tourism Strategy 2022–2026, which aims to enhance international collaboration and raise tourism's contribution to GDP. 'This agreement reflects our shared commitment to expanding business ties with Russia while offering visitors a higher quality, more connected tourism experience,' she noted. The MoU is also expected to open new channels for collaboration on sustainability and investment in travel technology, aligning with both nations' goals to modernise their tourism infrastructure. Russia focus expands Bahrain has already begun building momentum with Russian travellers, with Gulf Air operating seasonal charter services and growing demand for halal-certified offerings in Russian cities like Sochi, Kazan, and Moscow. Tourism officials view the Aeroklub partnership as a platform to tailor Bahrain's appeal to this market and broaden its international reach. As the global tourism landscape continues to shift, Bahrain is positioning itself not just as a destination, but as a partner in designing the next chapter of regional tourism diplomacy.
