World Public Summit: Latin America - "New World: Latin America in Shaping a Shared Future" opens in Brazil
On 16 June 2026, World Public Summit: Latin America "New World: Latin America in Shaping a Shared Future" opened in Salvador (Brazil). The landmark event brought together representatives of science, culture, education, media, youth and non-profit organizations, business and expert community from 21 countries.
Regional Summit - strategically important phase of development of international social and humanitarian dialogue, continuing the ideas of the World Public Assembly "New World of Conscious Unity" 2025.
Latin America is a unique space where, over centuries, a culture based on different civilizational traditions and worldviews has been synthesized. The region has a rich historical and spiritual heritage, a strong identity, and a commitment to social justice, making it a significant participant in an emerging multipolar world. The countries of the region have consistently advocated equal cooperation, respect for cultural diversity and strengthening sovereignty, in keeping with the core principles of the World Peoples Assembly.
The official opening ceremony of the Public Summit began with greetings from the organizers, President of the Brazilian Trade Union, Central dos Trabalhadores e Trabalhadoras do Brasil (STB), Adilson Araujo and Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly Andrey Belyaninov.
In his video message to the Summit participants, Andrei Belyaninov noted:
– Brazil is one of the largest countries in the world, with a large population, a huge area, and a distinctive culture. In South America, colonialism has always been present to varying degrees. The continent experienced slavery and many other things that oppressed people and suppressed their consciousness. Right now, no one in the world, and Latin America in particular, wants a repeat of neocolonialism. Everyone talks about freedom, the desire to live in peace, kindness, harmony, and happiness. It is very important. The fact that we are now gathered in the city of Salvador, the first capital of Brazil, is very symbolic. I am sure that during the Summit, the participants will be able to express everything that will contribute to our unity – the unity of human consciousness and thoughts. What is now called public diplomacy, friendship diplomacy, is a vivid manifestation of the fact that people want to live without conflicts and without, perhaps, the wrong actions of politicians who sometimes solve their own problems, forgetting about the people.
A striking cultural hallmark of the opening of the Summit in Brazil was the performance of the famous Afro-ballet ensemble "Malê DeBalê".
Distinguished guests greeted the participants of the event:
Raymunda Monteiro – Executive Secretary of the Council for Socio-Economic Development under the President of Brazil (CDESS);
Oscar Andrade Lallane – Senator of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay;
Alexey Labetsky – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation to the Federative Republic of Brazil (via video);
Andrey Andreev – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Federative Republic of Brazil;
Paulo Niemeyer - President of the Niemeyer Institute, an architect, and the great–grandson of world-renowned architect Oscar Niemeyer;
Aleixo Belov - Brazilian traveler and yachtsman.
The Plenary Session "Latin America and the Formation of the Modern World: Ideas, Culture, and Heritage", as the central event of the Summit, set the value direction for international discussion, opening a space for dialogue and partnership, and providing practical content for the value of a "New World of Conscious Unity" based on the Latin American experience.
The event was moderated by Nikita Anisimov, a journalist, member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation, and adviser to the Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly.
The participants of the Plenary Session touched upon topical issues of concern to many in their speeches:
The role of Latin America in shaping a multipolar world;
Cultural heritage and spiritual values of Latin American peoples;
Dialogue of generations: youth as a key subject of the future;
Partnership Economics: The Path to a Creative society
and others.
The speakers included:
Fidel Antonio Castro-Smirnov – Academician of the Cuban Academy of Sciences, Professor at the University of Havana (Cuba);
Bishop Leonid of Argentina and South America;
Lidiya Mikheeva – Secretary of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation;
Hasmik Kosyan - Representative of Rosatom in Latin America.;
Alexander Ageev – Director General of the International Research Institute of Management Problems (IAMR), member of the General Council and Chairman of the Scientific and Expert Council of the World Peoples Assembly, member of the Club of Rome
and many others.
Svetlana Smirnova, Chairperson of the General Council of the World Peoples Assembly, also delivered a video presentation on the key theme "New World: From Conscious Unity to the Architecture of a Shared Future".
– We live in an era of profound change. The economy, technology, and international relations are changing. The world is becoming more and more interconnected. But at the same time, new lines of division, a crisis of trust, and attempts to pit countries, cultures, and civilizations against each other are increasingly emerging. In these circumstances, public and people's diplomacy plays a special role. Because trust between states begins with trust between people, between societies, between cultures, between generations.
A year ago, at the First World Public Assembly, we talked about conscious unity, today we face a new question: what values are capable of uniting humanity in the 21st century?
That is why the theme of the Second World Public Assembly, which will take place in Moscow on September 18-19, 2026, is "New World - Values that Unite." We are convinced that a sustainable future cannot be built solely on economic interests or political agreements. A deeper foundation is needed. For us, such unifying values are human dignity, justice, trust, solidarity, respect for cultural diversity, responsibility to future generations and the desire for peace. These values do not belong to individual States or civilizations. They are the common heritage of mankind.
We consider the Summit in Latin America as the most important stage of preparation for the Second World Public Assembly. It is important for us to hear Latin American ideas. It is important that the experience of the regions and the experience of the peoples of your region become part of a global dialogue about the future.
It is important that the voice of Latin America become one of the co-authors of a new world order based on respect, cooperation and justice. I am confident that the meetings and discussions in Salvador will help develop new initiatives, strengthen international relations and make a significant contribution to the formation of a more humane and just world.
May the ideas that are being born in Brazil today become part of our shared future!
Following the results of the World Public Summit: Latin America, it is planned to adopt the Salvador Declaration reflecting the principle: “A just world based on the principles of solidarity, trust, mutual respect and shared responsibility for the future.”
The declaration will formulate shared values of the New World based on discussions, highlight their vision of a common future and the role of Latin America in it, and identify priority areas for further cooperation.
There is a rich program expected on the second day of the Summit, June 17:
Panel sessions: "Development economics and social justice", "The role of women in shaping the value agenda", "Cultural sovereignty of Latin America", "Linguistic heritage and traditions of indigenous peoples".
Meeting of the Council for Sustainable Economic and Social Development (CDESS) under the President of Brazil.
Sessions "Geopolitics and the modernity of the anti-racist struggle", "The present and future of the working class".
Closing ceremony: adoption of the final Declaration, awarding of the winners of the "Leader of Public Diplomacy" Contest in Latin America
And much more.
The Public Summit in Brazil aims to mobilize the intellectual, cultural, and social potential of Latin American countries to develop practical initiatives and meaningful proposals that will contribute to the region's preparations for the final World Public Assembly "New World: Values that Unite."
Media accreditation, cooperation issues: media@world-assembly.org, +7 (985) 768-2053 (Oksana Leontieva).
More information, registration for the summit and the program of events are available on the official website of the World Public Summit.