The Seliger Youth Forum was created in 2005 as a political platform for training and exchange of experience among activists of the pro-Kremlin Nashi movement. After the forum was overseen by "Rosmolodezh" headed by Vasily Yakimenko in 2009, the forum was open for active young people, and everyone could come to it. The forum addresses many pressing youth issues, but still the most relevant are ideological.
Instructions
Step 1
Traditionally, the forum is annually attended by ministers, governors, heads of various ministries and departments, many cultural figures loyal to the authorities. Members of the ruling tandem, Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, have repeatedly attended the forum as guests. Numerous portraits of them are used in the design of the forum space.
Step 2
The 2012 shifts are going to be very interesting. After Vasily Yakimenko left the leadership of Rosmolodezh, a well-known blogger and member of the opposition movement Dmitry Ternovsky was invited to head the socio-political part of the forum. This was probably the result of protests that have been taking place since the end of 2011. There is a need to attract representatives of pro-Kremlin and opposition-minded youth to participate in disputes. Both sides had the opportunity to meet and hold discussions at the venues provided by the forum. The organizers themselves declare their desire to channel the energy of the protest movement into a peaceful channel.
Step 3
Discussion platforms this summer will discuss such pressing and interesting issues as "Transparency of elections", "Russian Orthodox Church and secular society", "Ethics and politics", "Civil protests: results and the future." It was expected that well-known opposition figures would take part in their work.
Step 4
However, denials followed about the participation in the forum of the well-known opposition lawyer Alexei Navalny, as well as coordinators and employees of the anti-corruption funds RosPil and RosYama. Only the leader of the Left Front, Sergei Udaltsov, expressed a desire to take part in the work of the forum and meet with young people.
Step 5
A list of its guests has already been published on the official website of the forum; it does not differ too much from similar lists over the past years. Within the framework of the topics that have been announced for discussion, the forum will be attended by Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak, Governor of the Perm Territory Viktor Basargin, Head of Russian Railways Vladimir Yakunin, famous film director Timur Bekmambetov. The arrival of musician Vadim Samoilov, bodybuilder Alexander Nevsky, rap singer Timati and TV presenter Ksenia Borodina is expected.
