Russia to Host the 25th World Energy Congress

The World Energy Council (WEC) has announced that Russia will be the host of the next World Energy Congress held in 2022. The announcement follows a vote to select the winning bid from proposals submitted by Portugal, the USA, and Russia, during which it was decided that the 25th World Energy Congress will take place in St. Petersburg from 11 to 15 June.

The Council’s World Energy Congress is the largest global event bringing together world energy leaders to discuss energy resource issues and study important sector trends. Since 1924, the World Energy Congress has been gathering leading experts and professionals, government officials, academics, and major media outlets to discuss issues vital to the development of the energy sector. The event attracts more than 4,000 delegates from all sectors of the energy system and offers participants a unique opportunity to share their opinions and experiences and to better understand the latest trends from a global perspective. In 2019, the 24th World Energy Congress will take place in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It will be the first time the Congress will be held in the Gulf States.

The bid to host the 2022 World Energy Congress was prepared by the Russian member committee of the WEC, the Ministry of Energy of the Russian Federation with additional support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, as well as from the Roscongress Foundation, the Russian Convention Bureau, Saint Petersburg Convention Bureau, and Expoforum International (the official event exhibition space).

Dr Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the World Energy Council, congratulated Russia on winning the bid to host the 2022 Congress and thanked all of the bidding countries for their proposals: “The Portuguese, Russian and USA bid teams presented strong cases to host the event and it is clear that each of the cities would be an exciting and accomplished destination to host a World Energy Congress.”

Alexander Novak, Chairman of the WEC’s Russian member committee and Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, said: “On behalf of the Government of the Russian Federation, allow me to thank everyone for making their choice in favour of Russia. As one of the oldest members and co-founders of the World Energy Council, we have always believed in the importance and power of non-political dialogue in such an important sector as energy. We will be waiting for you in St. Petersburg in 2022.”

Executive Secretary of the WEC’s Russian member committee, Nataliya Zaiser, said: “We are one of the oldest members of the World Energy Council – together we have lived through a whole epoch of energy changes, transitions, challenges, threats, and new opportunities which have completely transformed the global energy agenda. Together with our partners all over the world, Russia is actively developing new technologies in the energy sector, making energy safer, cleaner, and more accessible to all of humankind. We will be waiting for you in the splendid city of St. Petersburg to discuss our future, add valuable ideas to the global energy dialogue, and achieve real change for the good of future generations.”

Adviser to the President of the Russian Federation Anton Kobyakov noted: “Large congresses serve as strategic platforms for establishing a global dialogue, especially in a sector as important to humankind as energy. Russia, as a global leader in the international energy agenda, is open to dialogue and ready to put all of their energy into making the 25th World Energy Congress in 2022 a platform where the sector’s global leaders will have access to the most recent information and newest ideas. It should also be noted that Russia has been a co-founder and active member of the WEC for more than 90 years and, after a long interlude (the 1968 Congress was held in Moscow), this event, so significant to the energy sector, will once again be held here in Russia, in St. Petersburg. The unique nature of the WEC allows countries to make unified decisions based on the work of specialists from over 90 countries, which improves how they navigate the changeable energy landscape and helps them quickly react to existing challenges”.

Director of the Russian Convention Bureau Alexey Kalachev said: “This bid is the second international event won with the help of the Russian Convention Bureau in the just the first half year of the Bureau’s existence. It is important to us that foreign experts recognize Russia’s event potential. Our Association aims, among other things, to help the country host events that would develop a cadre of specialists in various sectors both in separate regions and across Russia, who would then participate in the exchange of new knowledge and technologies.”