Roscongress Foundation will launch its innovative social platform NGO Lab during an exhibition of investment projects of the regions of the Russian Federation on 14 February at the Russian Investment Forum in Sochi.
The NGO Lab offers a common space to present the work of the non-profit sector in Russia, demonstrate successful social projects and new technologies as well as share experiences and creative ideas in charitable matters. The platform will involve some of the country’s largest NPOs, such as the Donors’ Forum, the Non-profit Charity Association ‘All Together’, the charitable foundations ‘Life Line’, ‘Art, Science, and Sport’, ‘Butterfly Children’, ‘Memory of Generations’, ‘Connection Deaf-blind Support Foundation’, ‘Renova’, and others, which will utilize an interactive format to present their vision of ways to solve social problems facing society as well as talk about the current focuses of the Russian charitable sector.
“For the first time, the Forum will present a concept for the work of the NGO Lab, whose activities will result in the creation of a system of an integrated approach to solving socially important objectives in the country – with a focus on priority areas for the social development of Russian regions”, Roscongress Foundation CEO Alexander Stuglev said, emphasizing that support for and the promotion of socially significant and charitable initiatives is currently one of the Foundation’s top priorities.
“The themes that we will be presenting at the NGO Lab over the course of the forum are different. Using examples, we will demonstrate that the diverse cultural, educational, environmental, socioeconomic, and educational projects are basically designed to meet a single objective – providing support to those in need. The Roscongress Foundation’s initiatives aim to bring the Russian and international community, businesses, and NPOs together to address common socially significant issues that are not of a one-time nature, but on a systematic basis”, Head of the Roscongress Foundation’s Directorate for Interaction with Charitable and Public Organizations Yelena Marinina said.
Russian Investment Forum participants can expect a variety of interactive events. The NGO Lab’s guests will be able to get an idea of how modern technologies make it possible to restore lost vision functions among blind and deaf-blind people as part of the presentation of the project ‘Bionic Eye: New Opportunities for People’, which will involve the first deaf-blind person with a retinal implant.
Paralympic champion Alexander Filatov and para-athlete, presenter, and multiple prize winner at swimming competitions Dmitry Ignatov will tell the Lab’s guests how they achieved success despite their physical condition.
Visitors to the Lab will also have an opportunity to learn about what Russian charitable foundations are doing and how they contribute to solving social problems. The theme of ecology and nature protection will be addressed. In particular, visitors to the platform will have the chance to get as close as possible to the world of wildlife by going on a virtual safari.
The NGO Lab will also feature the ‘Objective Philanthropy’ photo exhibition organized by the Roscongress Foundation jointly with the Donors’ Forum and the Art, Science, and Sport Foundation. Each individual photo series will offer an evocative story about the little-known, but important work of people who make efforts to change this world for the better every day.
Background: The first results of the Roscongress Foundation’s new focus on the promotion and support of socially significant and charitable initiatives were presented at the Russia House project during the World Economic Forum in Davos. The leaders of Russian and international foundations shared their successful experience in transforming the social environment and the quality of life and introducing new technologies to numerous areas of social protection. These events generated a broad response in the mass media and allowed for talking about the importance of social issues and the need for cooperation, including at the international level, in solving problems and developing systematic charity.
Roscongress Foundation – a major organizer of congress and exhibition events
The Roscongress Foundation was founded in 2007 with the aim of facilitating the development of Russia’s economic potential and strengthening the country’s image by organizing conventions, exhibitions, and public events. The Foundation develops substantive content for such events, providing companies and organizations with advice, information, and expert guidance, and offering comprehensive evaluation, analysis, and coverage of the Russian and global economic agendas. It offers administrative services and promotional support for business projects and helps to attract investment, including in the form of public-private partnerships.
Today, its annual programme includes events held from Montevideo to Vladivostok, offering an opportunity to bring together global business leaders, experts, the media, and government officials in one place, creating favourable conditions for dialogue and the promotion of new ideas and projects, and assisting in the creation of social enterprise and charity projects.