The date of the Second AKOS forum has been announced

The AKOS International Forum "Strategic Communications. Ideas & Insights" — an expert platform for exchanging international experience, building partnerships, and discussing current issues in the field of strategic communications. This year, the forum will take place on June 30 at the Digital Business Space in Moscow.

The first "Strategic Communications. Ideas & Insights" forum was held on May 21, 2025, at the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation and brought together more than 500 participants from 10 countries, including over 100 expert speakers from Brazil, India, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, and Turkey.

The forum reflects and supports a global trend that is radically transforming attitudes toward communications. Communications are not an auxiliary or service function but a strategic management function — one that drives socio-economic development, brand promotion, and global cooperation.

The forum's partner pool is a testament to this. Support has been provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation, the Expert Council for the Development of the Creative Economy under the Committee of the State Duma on Industrial Policy, as well as national and international development institutions (the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), the Center for Strategic Research (CSR)), leading industry platforms and associations (the Coordinating Council for Communications Industries under the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, the Russian Association for Public Relations (RASO), the Association of Communication Agencies of Russia (AKAR), the Association of Directors of Communications and Corporate Media of Russia (AKMR), the Managers Association, and others).

The forum community includes communications professionals from the BRICS, SCO, and EAEU countries; representatives of industry associations in the field of communications; government bodies and regulators; heads of communications, PR, GR, IR, and ESG departments from Russian and international companies; top managers of marketing, advertising, and PR agencies; leaders of resource-type NGOs and public organizations; communications experts; and authors and advocates of professional standards.

This year, the forum will focus on the strategic role of communications in the development of the national economy and Russian brands.

Key topics on the agenda include: rebooting the communications industry as a modern priority for the state and business; elevating the communications function to a strategic management level; addressing current industry challenges, problems, and opportunities; sharing experience in strategic communications in both Russian and international contexts; and driving the development of communications as a creative industry.

A separate track will be dedicated to strategies for minimizing negative information phenomena affecting the interests of Russian businesses. The role of communications tools in enhancing the competitiveness of the Russian economy will also be highlighted.

The program features a high-level international plenary session, discussion panels, masterclasses and presentations, an international negotiation track, and a special seminar for press secretaries and PR specialists representing regional "My Business" centers and regional resource centers for the development of creative industries, organized in partnership with the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation.

The draft program outline and participation application are now available on the forum's website.