Moscow, Russia – 08/10/2025 – (SeaPRwire) – An expert session of the Open Dialogue “Future of the World. New Platform for Global Growth” took place on October 7 at the National Center “Russia”. World-class experts participated in the discussion on “New Economy: Competition for Positive Development.”
The session participants were welcomed by the moderator, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation and Deputy Chairman of the National Center “Russia” Organizing Committee, Maxim Oreshkin.
“In the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors of the economy, competition is being won by those who used to be called developing economies. Now these are the economies of the global majority. The key marginality of many markets is concentrated not in the production process itself, but in creating image, perception of ideas associated with certain products. I am confident that in production itself, in creating goods and services, in the new economy, the economy of the global majority is winning the competition step by step. The same will happen in the experience economy,” stated Maxim Oreshkin.
Experts discussed values and meanings as a factor of competitiveness. Using food production as an example, Sergey Ivanov, Executive Director and Board Member of EFKO Group, explained how through the presence of additional meanings, a product can become not just a commodity but a lifestyle and source of impressions.
“Branding is the experience economy. Only there, impressions are tied to the product and add emotional benefits to its rational benefits,” explained Sergey Ivanov.
According to him, the future of the primary sector lies in transitioning from price competition to competition for trust, emotions, and cultural significance of the product. The speaker also emphasized the importance of ethical considerations in the experience economy.
“At some stage of the experience economy’s development, there arose a temptation to separate emotional benefits from rational ones. To turn them from accompanying properties into a separate commodity. A modern corporation in its relationships with consumers most resembles a huge hulk who has seriously entered into a duel with a kindergarten child. Because modern marketing can impose and sell anything. Today’s experience economy is not just an emotion market. It’s a laboratory where human beings are being reassembled. If we don’t agree on rules and ethics, then the experience economy will with high probability destroy society from within,” noted Sergey Ivanov.
Continuing the theme, James Law, founder of James Law Cybertecture International (China), discussed how design, public spaces, and aesthetics create economic and social value, and how the level of impressions and user experience are becoming new performance indicators in architecture and urban planning.
“It can be confidently stated that in the new economy, cities based on impressions act as catalysts for well-being, competitiveness, and positive development,” emphasized James Law.
Dmitry Vasiliev, Development Director and co-founder of Karfidov Lab, touched on the value of creativity in industry. He stated that in the new economy, companies that integrate creativity into the value creation chain—from idea to end user—win.
“Creativity is becoming a real driver of industrial development: innovative design and non-standard engineering solutions enhance the competitiveness of production facilities. Therefore, modern industry must create not only functional products but also impressions that form trust and demand. Successful projects are born at the intersection of engineering competencies and creative approach—in the synergy of science, technology, and creativity,” Dmitry Vasiliev is convinced.
Nitaya Kanokmongkol (Thailand), Executive Director of the Fine Arts Department of Thailand, stated that impressions increase demand for art, forming an “economy of beauty.”
“Beauty is becoming a real economic value. Aesthetic impressions in museums and galleries stimulate cultural tourism, education, and creative industries. We try to balance between identity and globalization, preserving the authenticity of Thai culture and making national art attractive to international audiences, because new experience in content and meaning management can be formed even without using technology,” noted Nitaya Kanokmongkol.
Brian Gleeson (Ireland), General Manager of Radisson Collection Paradise Resort & Spa, continued the theme of “impression capital” in tourism and hospitality. He explained that implementing local culture and responsible practices can not only increase brand value but also stimulate the development of other industries, and what can help unlock the untapped potential of international tourism that Russia possesses.
“The bet on tourism led Ireland to become one of the world’s largest technology centers. We prioritized developing our country’s brand because it illustrates what we are. This is what I wanted to do in Russia as well. People from abroad must understand how hospitable the people are here, what incredible quality of service there is in everything related to the impressions industry. Five-million-population Ireland receives about 6 billion euros from international tourism. But our country will never compare to Russia. Your country’s marketing potential is enormous. Here you can use geographical features, UNESCO sites, cultural traditions, history, and much more,” concluded Brian Gleeson.
Felipe Buitrago (Colombia), Deputy Minister of the Orange (Creative) Economy, discussed how cultural and meaningful narratives form countries’ competitiveness and their “soft power.” He noted that the experience economy and “orange economy” should become strategic assets for states.
“The state should not just subsidize culture but also form an infrastructure of meanings, financing solutions and innovations. At the same time, we cannot forget about maintaining a balance between international competitiveness and preserving unique local cultural codes in the new economy,” noted Felipe Buitrago.
Producer, screenwriter, and director Mehret Mandefro from Ethiopia touched on the theme of local language and culture as an alternative to existing templates.
“In the conditions of the new economy, local cultures and storytelling traditions can compete with dominant Hollywood formats due to their authenticity. Moreover, local identity and cultural uniqueness act as competitive advantages in positioning projects on global platforms such as Netflix and Disney+, which contributes to forming large-scale content ecosystems—effective solutions for new economies,” concluded Mehret Mandefro.
Additionally, she emphasized that a global shift is occurring in the world of cinematography. Stories that are repeated have devalued and are uninteresting to anyone. The future belongs to authentic stories.
“Stories that have already been told don’t sell anymore—they’re often called plastic stories. Now we’re experiencing such a shift, a revolutionary change. New creative forms are emerging that use local language—it’s a whole cosmos. I believe there’s really great potential there; we can open up a whole new world in storytelling,” said Mehret Mandefro.
The International Symposium “Creating the Future” brings together participants from more than 85 countries worldwide, including China, USA, Italy, Latin American countries, the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia. Among the guests are scientists, engineers, futurists, art, culture, and media figures, united by the desire to comprehend and shape tomorrow’s appearance.
The recording of the broadcast of the expert session “New Economy: Competition for Positive Development” of the Open Dialogue is available on the Russia.ru website and in the official social networks of the National Center “Russia.”
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Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Times World USA journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
