The X anniversary Caspian Media Forum has started in Astrakhan

On August 22, Astrakhan hosted the 10th Anniversary Caspian Media Forum, which was attended by hundreds of journalists from around the world.

Astrakhan Region Governor Igor Babushkin opened the plenary session of the media forum, which was attended by more than 700 guests in person, as well as about 3,000 participants joined online. During the event, experts from the Caspian countries discussed the topic "The history of the Caspian Sea: from the past to the future." The meeting was moderated by TASS CEO Andrey Kondrashov.

Addressing the participants and guests of the event, Babushkin stressed its key role in strengthening humanitarian and economic ties between the states of the region. The Head of the Astrakhan region expressed special gratitude to the guests of the forum for their attention to the region: Ambassador of Iran to Russia Kazem Jalali, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Russia Dauren Abayev, Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Moscow Botirjon Asadov and Editor-in-Chief of the State Committee for Television, Radio Broadcasting, Cinematography of Turkmenistan Rustem Mammadov.

"Historically, the Astrakhan region has been a bridge between different cultures and civilizations, a point of intertwining humanitarian and economic ties in the Caspian Sea for many centuries. Therefore, the key topic of the current media forum was not chosen by chance. It is the appeal to common historical roots, to the centuries—old traditions of good neighborliness that is the foundation of the future of our countries in a just multipolar world," Babushkin said.

According to him, in 10 years the forum has transformed from a highly professional journalistic event into an effective platform for discussing the entire relevant Caspian agenda.

"Today it is a geostrategic point for "checking the clock" on key issues of the Caspian region. This year, in addition to the media industry, the forum's program includes issues of transport, logistics, the environment of the Caspian Sea, and the development of cultural exchange," the governor stressed.

Separately, Babushkin highlighted the role of the media in forming a unified media space and countering unfriendly propaganda. He stressed that the media should help the audience distinguish the truth from false news and strengthen mutual understanding between states.

As part of his speech, the head of the region announced the opening of the Caspian Seasons festival in the Astrakhan Kremlin, and also congratulated the winners of the Caspian Without Borders international journalism competition, noting their professionalism and commitment to objectivity. In conclusion, the governor wished all participants of the media forum fruitful work, interesting discussions and new ideas for large-scale international projects.

Entering the sea: Western countries seek access to the Caspian Sea

The geopolitical situation in the region has worsened

On July 25, Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin invited the Caspian littoral countries to jointly solve the problem of shallowing the Caspian Sea and work on creating a long-term model for predicting fluctuations in its level. He called on countries to pay attention to the protection of rare species of animals and plants.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.