In Khanty-Mansiysk, within the framework of the XV General Assembly of the international organization "Northern Forum", a meeting of the Council of Governors took place under the chairmanship of the head of the region Natalia Komarova.

The event was attended by Vladimir Mazur, Governor of the Tomsk Region, Aleksandr Dudorov, Deputy Governor of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Aleksandr Mazharov, Deputy Governor of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Gavril Kirillin, Minister of External Relations and Peoples' Affairs of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Dmitry Korostelev, President of the Union of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Kamchatka Territory, regional coordinators, foreign and Russian experts, business partners of the Northern Forum.

In accordance with the charter and rules of work, the international organization of the northern regions "Northern Forum" holds a General Assembly every two years. At the General Assembly, the chairmanship is being transferred to the next region or the current chairmanship is being extended.

During the meeting, a vote was held at which the participants unanimously elected the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug as the presiding region of the Northern Forum for 2023-2025, and the chairman of the Council of Governors of the Northern Forum — the Governor of Ugra Natalia Komarova. Sergei Kungurtsev, Chairman of the Committee for International and Interregional Relations of the Department of Digital Development, Communications and Mass Media of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, presented the certificate and the badge of the chairmanship of the Northern Forum to the head of the region.

The Governor of Ugra Natalia Komarova, welcoming the forum participants, noted that in May 2023 Russia's chairmanship in the Arctic Council ended. The head of the region recalled the words of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin: "Everything that happens in the north is of special interest and special value to us. Lomonosov once said that Russia would grow into Siberia. In the next decades, Russia will grow with the Arctic and the northern territories."

"Thus, the main priority of the work is designated — ensuring responsible management in the interests of sustainable development of the Arctic. The task of our regions is to preserve and multiply the achieved results of Russia's chairmanship in the Arctic Council. In this regard, the contribution of interregional formats of interaction of the Northern Forum, an observer organization in the Arctic Council is important," Natalia Komarova stressed.

The head of the region noted that the chairmanship of the Northern Forum for 2023-2025 is being transferred from the Lapland region (Finland) to the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug — Ugra. During the Assembly, by mutual decision, taking into account the proposals, the members of the Council of Governors approved the Declaration of Joint Actions of the Northern Forum Regions for 2023-2025. 

Natalia Komarova outlined certain areas of activity for the period of the chairmanship of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug — Ugra in the Northern Forum.

According to the Governor of Ugra, special attention is paid to projects in the field of environmental protection. Natalia Komarova recalled that the Northern Forum is an observer of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, accredited in the UN Environment Program, has the right to form delegations to participate in the conference of the Framework Convention on Biodiversity, the World Congress on the Environment. 

According to the Governor of Ugra, under the auspices of the Northern Forum, in cooperation with the Russian-Asian Consortium of Arctic Research, cooperation of scientific collectives in the field of environmental protection and climate research will be strengthened. "The platform for the implementation of the projects of the Northern Forum "Man in the Arctic", "Youth Environmental Forum", "International Arctic School" in 2024 will be the International Environmental Action "Save and Preserve", which has been held annually since 2004 under the auspices of the Northern Forum. We are open to new proposals for the content of the campaign," Natalia Komarova emphasized, also indicating that it is necessary to consolidate the efforts of the Northern Forum regions to study the experience of preserving the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Northern peoples, since the Northern Forum regions are located, among other things, in the territories of the original residence of indigenous peoples. To this end, the project of the Arctic Council "Digitalization of the linguistic and cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic" on the basis of the UNESCO chair is relevant. 

Ugra Governor stressed that overcoming digital inequality is important for the dynamic development of the Arctic and Northern regions. In this regard, an international expert group will be created to discuss the digital agenda of the Northern Forum regions at the site of the annual XV International IT Forum with the participation of the BRICS and SCO countries in June 2024. 

Speaking about the competitions of projects of the participants of the Northern Forum, Natalia Komarova noted the importance of expanding the geography of the grant competition, proposed to make it open, including for projects related to the sustainable development of territories. According to the head of the region, this approach will improve the quality of competitive projects. 

"Taking into account the cooperation agreement between the Northern Forum and the Roscongress Foundation, the Rosatom Corporate Academy, the Autonomous Okrug plans to use offices in the BRICS, SCO and other countries to replicate projects in the Northern Forum regions, hold meetings, presentations in order to exchange best practices and present economic opportunities to the Northern Forum regions," Natalia Komarova said. 

Back in 2021, the Northern Forum supported the initiative of Ugra to create a working group on the development of creative industries. During the implementation of the project of the Northern Forum "International Arctic Center of Culture and Arts" Natalia Komarova proposed to combine the efforts of the regions of the Northern Forum in the field of film production. The International Film Debut Festival "Spirit of Fire", which has been held annually in Khanty-Mansiysk since 2003, will serve as a platform for joint projects.

"Expansion of membership in the Northern Forum by involving countries interested in cooperation in its work, as well as interaction with the regions of non—Arctic states is one of the most important areas of our joint work for 2023-2025," Natalia Komarova emphasized 

In 2024 Russia will become the chair of the international association of BRICS countries. Natalia Komarova stressed the importance of joining efforts and expanding cooperation with the BRICS and SCO countries and suggested synchronizing the action plan of the Northern Forum and Russia's chairmanship in the international association of BRICS countries.

"We are ready to take into account the opinions of all the participating regions of the Northern Forum and include them in the plan of our joint work on the principles of respect and trust," Natalia Komarova summed up. 

The meeting participants supported and approved the program of activities for the coming years, designated by the Governor of Ugra. Dmitry Korostelev noted the importance of preserving the national culture and languages of the indigenous peoples of the North. Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Kamchatka Territory appreciated the experience of Ugra in the development of creative industries, noted that residents of the Kamchatka Territory will definitely take part in the Spirit of Fire international film Festival.

During the meeting, the participants shared their experience of humanitarian and economic cooperation with the regions of the Northern Forum, discussed the implementation of projects in the field of science and education, approved the report on the activities of the Northern Forum and the work plan for 2023 and 2025. 

The chairmanship of the Russian-Asian Consortium for Arctic Research was also transferred to Ugra State University. Anatoly Nikolaev, the Rector of the Northeastern Federal University named after M.K.Amosov presented the certificate of chairmanship to the Rector of Ugra State University Roman  Kuchin.

During the meeting of the Council of Governors, an agreement on cooperation and cooperation was signed between the regional branch of the All-Russian public organization "Russian Geographical Society" in Ugra and the Association for the Promotion of the Development of Northern Territories "Academy of the Northern Forum". The agreement was signed by the Governor of Ugra Natalia Komarova, the president of the Association Vladimir Vasiliev and the chairman of the Russian Geographical Society in the Autonomous Okrug Mikhail Savchenko.

It was announced that Ugra is opening an office of the regional branch of the Northern Forum on the basis of the Russian Geographical Society in Khanty-Mansiysk.