The World Peoples Assembly participated in the Expanded Meeting of the Organizing Committee of the International Baikal Environmental Congress

An expanded meeting of the Organizing Committee of the International Baikal Ecological Congress, chaired by Alexander Schmidt, Rector of Irkutsk State University and Chairman of the Council of Rectors of the Irkutsk Region, was held online on June 5, 2026.

The Congress is organized by leading scientific and educational organizations of Eastern Siberia in cooperation with the Government and the Legislative Assembly of the Irkutsk Region with the participation of the NGO "National Priorities". The event is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, the Ministry of Education and Science of Russia, the Ministry of Natural Resources of Russia, the Agency for Strategic Initiatives, the World Peoples Assembly, representatives of the scientific and business communities, judicial and law enforcement systems, as well as heads of public organizations and institutions managing specially protected natural areas.

The event was attended by representatives of five relevant regional ministries and agencies, heads and specialists of international and public environmental organizations, representatives of science, business and environmental agencies of the Russian Federation.

Opening the meeting, Deputy Chairman of the Irkutsk Region Government Georgy Kuzmin noted:

– It is significant that today's meeting is taking place on the World Environment Day. I congratulate all my colleagues and would like to note the importance of our cooperation in the preparation of the International Baikal Ecological Congress. The government of the Irkutsk Region pays great attention to nature protection issues: we continue to work to eliminate accumulated damage, to develop a closed-loop economy, and work is continuously underway in the region to develop the ecological culture of the population. The congress is an important step towards strengthening the interaction of all participants in environmental protection activities in order to preserve Lake Baikal for present and future generations.

Alexander Schmidt emphasized:

– The Baikal Congress is a platform for unification. Among the organizers of the event are representatives of science, business, environmental agencies, and the public. I am sure that the upcoming event will be productive and will lay the basis for environmental cooperation.

The Organizing Committee discussed issues related to the preparation of the congress and its venues. Special attention was paid to the participation of international experts. It is expected that representatives of more than 10 countries will attend the congress. The Organizing Committee will create necessary conditions for the exchange of successful practices both during the business program and within the framework of the International Exhibition of "Green" Technologies.

For an in-depth exchange of international experience in the conservation of World Natural Heritage sites, the congress structure includes international events. In particular, at the suggestion of the Russian Embassy in Guatemala, the II Agricultural and Environmental Forum of Russia and the Caribbean was included in the business program of the congress.

The meeting also decided to include in the business program of the congress a separate track for signing international and domestic agreements on environmental, scientific and cultural cooperation, including the Agreement on Lake Twinning of the Baikal Region with the Minsk region of the Republic of Belarus and the Agreement on Cooperation of educational organizations of the Irkutsk region with JSC “TMiK Operator” GC Rosatom.

The World Peoples Assembly participates in the organization of sections and events of the congress. Tatiana Augusmanova, Head of the Directorate of Sustainable Development of the World Peoples Assembly, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, and member of the Public Council of the Basic Organization of the CIS member States for Environmental Education, is a member of the organizing Committee of the Congress.

The Baikal International Environmental Congress will take place in Irkutsk on September 24 - 27, 2026. Its goal is to strengthen international and national cooperation in the conservation of natural ecosystems, the growth of professional competencies and the development of ecological culture of the world's population.

Registration of participants, as well as acceptance of materials for publication in the congress collection, is carried out on the official website of the event.