On 20 December 2025, the Second International Catherine Forum will take place in Moscow at the National Centre”Russia” – a large-scale public-state event uniting representatives of government, the expert community, business, the media, national-cultural associations, and international participants. The forum continues the work begun in 2023, establishing itself as a key platform for dialogue on civic identity, humanitarian integration, and people-to-people diplomacy.

The First Catherine Forum was held in Moscow in December 2023, timed to coincide with the 260th anniversary of Catherine II’s famous 1763 Immigration Manifesto. It was attended by over 600 people from 35 countries. The forum highlighted the historical and humanitarian continuity of Catherine II’s ideas – Russia’s openness to the world while preserving its own spiritual and cultural identity. It was this manifesto, which granted foreigners the right to settle in Russia and pursue trades and agriculture, that constituted Europe’s first experience of a systematic state migration policy based on constructive development and trust. The modern Catherine Forum develops this historical meaning in the context of the 21st century. The central idea of the 2025 forum – a “forum of invitation to Russia” – reflects the continuity of a humanitarian policy aimed at supporting those who share traditional spiritual and moral values and are ready to link their future with Russia. This year, the forum is also regarded as a practical platform for implementing Decree No. 702 of the President of the Russian Federation, dated 19 August 2024, “On the Provision of Humanitarian Support to Individuals Who Share Traditional Russian Spiritual and Moral Values”.

The organisers of the Second Catherine Forum are the All-Russian Public-State Organisation “Assembly of the Peoples of Russia” and the Federal National-Cultural Autonomy of Russian Germans, with the support of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs, the Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations, and the State Duma Committee on International Affairs.

Up to 700 participants are expected, including representatives of the Presidential Administration, the State Duma, the Federation Council, federal and regional government bodies, experts, leaders of national-cultural associations, federal media representatives, business figures, as well as foreign nationals and compatriots who have successfully established themselves in Russia.
Among the participants are Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration Magomedsalam Magomedov, Chairman of the Assembly of the Peoples of Russia Vladimir Vasilyev, Senator Alexander Karelin, State Duma Deputy Maria Butina, and a descendant of Catherine II’s lineage – Prince Eduard von Anhalt (Germany), a journalist and public figure.

The forum programme includes a public dialogue titled “Russia – A Space of Opportunities. Preserving Values, Creating the Future” and a plenary discussion on “Russia – A New Ark of Civilisations and Traditional Spiritual and Moral Values”. Thematic sessions will be held within the forum’s framework:

“Humanitarian resettlers” – on practices for integrating foreign citizens and implementing Decree No. 702.

“The architecture of interethnic peace” – on the historical and modern experience of strengthening harmony among the peoples of Russia.

“Russia as a centre of attraction” – on new opportunities for highly qualified specialists.

“Strengthening international co-operation” – on developing people-to-people diplomacy and supporting compatriots abroad.