9th Annual Congress of the International Public Chamber

On November 25, 2025, the 9th annual Congress of the International Public Chamber was held via videoconference. The Congress was the first event of the Chamber's 3rd convocation (2025-2030).

The Congress began with the confirmation of the powers of the members of the International Public Chamber for the 2025-2030 convocation, the formation of a new Presidium, and the leadership of specialized councils, commissions, and committees.

The meeting was opened with greetings President of the International Public Chamber for the 2025-2030 convocation, Alexander Olshevskiy , and President of the Chamber’s Expert Council, Olympic champion in fencing, winner of 5 Olympic medals, and 10-time world champion Alexander Romankov.

Greetings and good wishes were also expressed by the Chamber’s strategic partners: the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UNA OIC), headed by its Director General Sheikh Mohammed bin Abd Rabbo Al-Yami, the Muslim World League, headed by its Secretary General Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation, the Muslim Religious Association in the Republic of Belarus, the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kyrgyzstan, the Representative Office of Zoroastrianism in the Republic of Iraq, the Nigerian Center for Arab Studies, the Center for Dialogue of Religions and Cultures in Lebanon, the Dar Al Maghreb Association (France), the Iraqi Cultural and Humanitarian Foundation for Rapprochement and Dialogue, the International Peace Organization with headquarters in Germany, the Association of Teachers of Native Languages, including Russian, and the Thinkers Cultural Foundation.

At the start of its third term, the Chamber's work encompasses representatives from 72 countries and eight religious denominations. The new Chamber consists of 14 commissions and 12 committees, as well as six specialized councils: including one for developing cooperation with the Islamic world, Europe, the post-Soviet space, and East and Southeast Asia.

The leadership of the Chamber's commissions and committees has been 80% renewed . The new working bodies include representatives from Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Iraq, Bulgaria, Palestine, South Ossetia, Lebanon, Nigeria, China, Tunisia, Pakistan, Yemen, Romania, the United States, and Morocco. Working groups have also been formed with representatives of strategic partners from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Germany, France, Iran, and Egypt.

New secretaries general have been elected for the Interreligious Forum of Clergy and the Public "For a Just World and the Protection of Believers," the International Chernobyl Forum, and the Imam Shamil International Forum, as well as the heads of the Executive Committees of the Council of Elders of the Peoples of the North Caucasus and the International Council "Sport for Peace and Mutual Understanding," operating under the auspices of the Chamber.

Keynote speeches were given by new leaders of strategically important areas of activity of the International Public Chamber.

Deputy Chairman of the Chamber for Work with Diasporas Merab Zasseev spoke about plans to improve work with diasporas abroad and increase the effectiveness of the work of elders' councils .

The keynote speech on one of the most significant areas was given by the Head of the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue, President of the Center for Dialogue of Religions and Cultures in Lebanon, member of the Pontifical International Islamic-Christian Commission in the Vatican, Seyyed Dr. Ali Al-Seyyed Qassem.

Proposals in this direction were developed by the Head of the Commission for Strengthening Spiritual Values ​​- Deputy Chairman of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Russian Federation Ildar hazrat Nurimanov, the Secretary General of the Interreligious Forum of the Clergy and the Public "For a Just World and the Protection of Believers" - the oldest of the muftis of the CIS countries Abu-Bekir hazrat Shabanovich and Co-president of the Interreligious Public Council for Diplomatic Service - Head of the Zoroastrian Mission in Iraq Dr. Haider Abdullah Asfur.

Leonid Tibilov , outlined the tasks and steps to strengthen the most important area of ​​work with neighboring countries. President of the Council for the Development of Cooperation with Post-Soviet Countries and President of the Republic of South Ossetia from 2012 to 2017,

Keynote speeches in their respective areas were also given by the Head of the Commission on Interethnic Relations - Advisor to the Supreme Mufti of Kyrgyzstan Azamat Ismagombetov, Head of the Commission on Humanitarian Projects - Director of the Nigerian Center for Arab Studies Professor Elkhidiru Abdul Baak Mohammed, Head of the Commission on Scientific Cooperation and Innovation - Scientific Director of the Vladikavkaz Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, founder and head of the Southern Mathematical Institute of the Vladikavkaz Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor Anatoly Kusraev.

A number of practical proposals for developing the traditionally priority area of ​​support for Chernobyl veterans were outlined by the Secretary General of the International Chernobyl Forum, President of the Center for Social Protection of the Disabled, Doctor of Law, Major General Anatoly Makhnach.

Valery Kolomiets, Head of the Committee for Cooperation in Healthcare and President of the Belarusian Foundation for Assistance to Disabled Athletes , spoke about the proposed focus on developing rehabilitation methods in the healthcare sector

Olga Artemenko, Co spoke about the possibilities for developing the Chamber's new area of ​​language diplomacypresident of the Council for Language Diplomacy and President of the Association of Teachers of Native Languages, including Russian, .

The priorities and opportunities in the field of creative diplomacy were outlined by Natalia Ermenkova, Head of the Creative Diplomacy Committee and President of the Union of Russian-Speaking Writers and Journalists of Bulgaria, and Artur Tsomaya , Head of the Commission for Cooperation in Culture and Honored Artist of the Russian Federation .

Various aspects of activities related to the upbringing of the new generation were highlighted by the Head of the Commission on Family and Children Affairs - Executive Director of the Pakistan Alliance for Girls' Education (PAGE) Fajer Rabia Pasha, Head of the Committee for the Development of Expert and Dialogue Platforms - Director of International Relations and Media of the Akkadian Organization for Cultural Exchange between Iraq and Russia Abdullah Al-Salih, Head of the Committee for Educational Cooperation - Vice-Chancellor of Loralai University in Balochistan Professor Ehsanullah Kakar, Head of the Committee for Work with Youth - founder of the Federal Youth Public Movement "Active Citizen" Magomedamin Akayev.

Proposals for improving work with human rights initiatives were submitted to the Congress by Dr. Mohammed Bakkar , Head of the Human Rights Commission and President of the Mediterranean Bar and Jurist Association, Advisor to the International Criminal Court in The Hague , and Dr. Rathiba Al-Miladi, Representative of the Union of Arab Jurists to the Human Rights Council in Geneva and Advisor to the International Criminal Court in The Hague . Professor Kosta Dzugaev, Head of the Commission for Interaction with International Organizations and Development of Parliamentary Cooperation and First President of the Parliament of the Republic of South Ossetia, outlined his proposals for expanding cooperation with international organizations.

The speeches of representatives from regions where armed conflicts and clashes are ongoing were instrumental in assessing the validity of the International Public Chamber's peacebuilding efforts and approaches. Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al-Madhbukh , Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Palestine, praised the Chamber's human rights work and its consistent, principled position on the Palestinian issue.

The Secretary-General of the League of Arab Nations , Dr. Hala Al-Assaad , and the representative of the Alawite community, Sheikh Ahmad Bilal , spoke about the importance of activities to protect against religious persecution, using the example of Syria.

, spoke directly from the territory where hostilities continue. President of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims of the Donetsk People's Republic (Mukhtasibat Donbas) Rashid-haji Bragin, (Ukrainian Orthodox Church), a lecturer at the Kherson State Pedagogical University, expressed gratitude for the ongoing work of the Chamber and the forums operating under its auspices to draw the attention of international organizations to the issues of protecting parishioners and clergy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and also requested further support. Archpriest Gennady Shkil Participants of the Congress were also presented with materials calling for the protection of Ukrainian Orthodox Christians from persecution, prepared by Bishop Gideon (Charon).

Dr. Naowaf Ibrahim , Deputy Chairman of the Chamber for Media Projects and Communications, spoke about a number of promising projects and ideas received from colleagues. Sheikh Hassan Al-Zakri, Head of the Iraqi Cultural and Humanitarian Foundation for Rapprochement and Dialogue, and Sheikh Mohammad Imad al-Din Al-Sheikh Saleh Al-Khatib, a Lebanese preacher and imam , presented important projects for developing interreligious dialogue and harmony in modern society to the Congress participants.

Important proposals were also made for developing cooperation with individual countries: with Iran - from the director of the Asfar Foundation for Strategic Studies (Tehran-Baghdad-Beirut), Dr. Amir Al-Musawi, and with Turkey - from the president of the Shamil Foundation , Aliaskhab Kharkhachaev, and for preserving historical memory - from the head of the Belarusian charitable foundation in memory of the First World War, Kroki, PhD in economics, Pavel Margolin.

An awards ceremony was also held for outstanding achievements in public diplomacy, humanitarian work, and peacekeeping. Twenty-five prominent figures from various countries.

Representatives from various countries also highly praised the work of the International Public Chamber's leadership during the 2020-2025 convocation, particularly noting the personal role of Alexander Olshevsky,. He was awarded the Shield of Peace, the highest award of the Zoroastrian Representation in Iraq; the highest award of the Center for Dialogue of Religions and Cultures in Lebanon, "In recognition of outstanding merits and effective contribution to the promotion of the values ​​of cultural and social understanding among peoples"; the Knight of Peace Medal of the Nigerian Center for Arab Studies; the highest award of the Afro-Asian Journalists Union, "For outstanding achievements"; the Honorary Medal of the Iraqi Cultural and Humanitarian Foundation for Rapprochement and Dialogue; the Shield of Peace and an award watch from the Thinkers Cultural Foundation; and the medal "For contribution to the preservation and development of the native language, including Russian."

Based on the proposals received, the 9th Congress adopted the Policy Statement of the International Civic Chamber for the 2025-2030 Convocation, which outlined work priorities for the next five years. The Chamber's Presidium was also instructed to prepare an Appeal to the international community on the need to intervene in the situation of religious persecution of believers and clergy. Additionally, decisions were made to form working groups to develop cooperation with individual countries, including the United States, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Republic of Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.

The International Public Chamber has decided to declare 2026 the Year of Interreligious Dialogue.

 

VIDEO MATERIALS FROM THE 9TH ANNUAL CONGRESS OF THE INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC CHAMBER (NOVEMBER 25, 2025)