The 7th St. Petersburg International Cultural Forum took place November 15-17. This year’s key topic was “Culture as the Country’s Strategic Potential” with special recognition given this year to Italy and Qatar. The Forum included 14 sections including theatre, music, museums and exhibition projects, cinema, circus and street theatre, folk art and intangible cultural heritage, tourism, ballet and dance, fine arts, cultural heritage preservation, literature and reading, mass communications, education, and creative industry and urban science. This annual large-scale project has become a unique platform for intercultural dialogue and aims at preserving and developing Russian culture, strengthening international cooperation, and supporting cultural initiatives.

The program, with various venues throughout the city, was organized by the Government of the Russian Federation and the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. It included events and exhibitions for visitors and the public as well as special business sessions for attending professionals. Over 100 countries were represented with thousands of experts and visitors participating in the various events throughout the 3-day forum.

On November 15 the Forum opened with a gala where President of Russia Vladimir Putin addressed the attending guests. The following days included presentations, lectures, round-table discussions, exhibitions, and performances.

The section on cultural heritage preservation was headed by Oleg Ryzhkov, deputy minister for culture of the Russian Federation. The cultural heritage preservation section has been part of the Forum since 2014 and has become one of the main sections with the importance of this topic growing in Russia and around the world. This section included:

•“City Landscape in Historic Photo Panoramas: From the First Rome to Rome on the Neva” photograph exhibition
• “Revival of the manor heritage of Russia: results, partnership, outlook” round table discussion:
• “Lighthouses of North-West of Russia” photo exhibition
• “Preservation of intangible value of cultural heritage sites: Celebrating Centennial of State Protection of Monuments in Russia” round table discussion
• “Saving Icon of the Avant-Garde: Survey of Melnikov House as Crucial State of Its Preservation” presentation
• “Underwater Cultural Heritage: Reality and New Opportunities” round table discussion
• “Living in the Old Times: Russia and the Czech Republic” lecture

Image Description: DOCOMOMO Russia Chairman, Shukhov Tower Foundation President Vladimir Shukhov, Europa Nostra member of board, chief international expert of Getty's project on the Melnikov House survey, conservation architect Tapani Mustonen, architect and architecture historian at the Russian Ministry of Culture, expert on state historical and cultural expertise, chief expert of Getty's project on the Melnikov House survey, Tatyana Tsareva, Shchusev Museum of Architecture Director Yelizaveta Likhacheva (L-R)at a presentation titled "Saving Icon of the Avant-Garde: Survey of Melnikov House as Crucial Stage of Its Preservation" held at the General Staff building of the State Hermitage Museum as part of the 2018 St Petersburg International Cultural Forum in St Petersburg, Russia, November 17, 2018. Yevgeny Yegorov/TASS Host Photo Agency