Russian Association for Development of Local Self-Government to co-organize International Municipal Forum
The Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government (VARMSU) will serve as a co-organizer of the International Municipal Forum, which will take place on 23–24 November 2026 at the Russia National Centre in Moscow.
The event is being organized by the Roscongress Foundation with the support of the Russian Government. The Moscow Government is the general partner.
The Forum will provide a key platform for exchanging international experience and formulating development strategies for Russian municipalities. Representatives of the Russian Government, federal and municipal authorities, the business and investment communities, and public and political figures have been invited to participate in this open dialogue, alongside delegations from Asia, Australia and Oceania, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North and South America, and the CIS.
“VARMSU’s involvement in organizing the International Municipal Forum naturally reflects the important role the association plays in developing the modern local self-government system and strengthening the professional municipal community. To a large extent, the municipal level is where a comfortable living environment is shaped and the conditions for the country’s sustainable socioeconomic development are created. It is crucial for us to bring together the people directly responsible for territorial development on a single platform and give them the opportunity to discuss not only the challenges they face but, most importantly, effective tools and tangible results. The event participants will be able to share extensive practical experience that will prove valuable both for Russia and for our international partners,” Executive Secretary of the Forum’s Organizing Committee and Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation Anton Kobyakov said.
VARMSU will host a series of events during the Forum. Topics will include the development of sister-city ties as a means of territorial development, municipal diplomacy in a multipolar world, and the role of municipalities in preserving historical memory and traditional values.
“Intensifying international municipal cooperation is a key focus of VARMSU’s work, as mandated by law. Today, VARMSU collaborates with ten international associations. The geography of our partnerships encompasses Brazil, Ethiopia, South Africa, India, China, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Latin American nations. We collect best practices from municipalities and build long-term partnerships. People-to-people diplomacy plays a vital role in fostering international municipal dialogue, with sister-city ties serving as an effective tool for intermunicipal engagement. At the upcoming International Municipal Forum, together with a large team representing the country’s municipal community, we will showcase our successful practices and learn from the experiences of our international colleagues,” said Irina Guseva, Co-Chairperson of VARMSU and a Member of the Presidium of the Presidential Council for the Local Self-Government Development.
The five thematic tracks of the main business programme fully reflect the Forum’s central theme: ‘Sustainable Urban Transformation: Responding to Global Challenges’. The Forum will include discussions on designing new urban environments that meet people’s modern economic, social, and cultural needs.
The participants will pay particular attention to such issues as strengthening municipal governance, fostering intermunicipal cooperation, and sharing successful practices, as well as integrating them into the day-to-day operations of local self-government bodies.
VARMSU’s status as a co-organizer of the International Municipal Forum will be formalized through an official agreement with the Roscongress Foundation.
In accordance with a decree from Russian President Vladimir Putin dated 29 December 2025, the International Municipal Forum will be held annually in an effort to strengthen business ties between representatives of the regional and municipal authorities and entrepreneurs from Russia and abroad.
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