International dialogue about people in the Arctic: the topic of development of the human capital at the International Arctic Forum “Arctic: Territory of Dialogue”

The International Arctic Forum " Arctic: Territory of Dialogue" was held in Arkhangelsk on March 29–30, 2017. This event was held since 2010. This forum is the fourth, and this year it has been arranged under the auspices of the State Commission for the Arctic Development.

The representatives of different countries and spheres of activity were much interested in this forum. Almost 2500 participants from 31 countries took part in the events of the forum. Among them were: 3 presidents of the Arctic states, vice-premiers of the Government of the Russian Federation and the State Council of the PRC, 5 foreign ministers, 11 heads of ministries and departments of the Russian Federation, governors of all regions of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, deputies of the State Duma of the Russian Federation and members of the Federation Council, more than 50 representatives of the Arctic Municipalities, more than 450 representatives of the mass media.1

It should be noted that in terms of the number and status of participants, the forum has become one of the most representative events devoted to the Arctic issues held in Russia over the past years.

The purpose of the forum is to unite international organizations, state authorities, scientific and business communities from Russia and foreign countries to coordinate approaches to the development of the international cooperation, to consolidate efforts to ensure the stable development of the Arctic and to improve the living standards of the population in the Arctic territories.

The main place of the forum was the Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov. The business program2 included a plenary session, as well as 13 thematic sessions, which were grouped in four directions:

– human capital;

• –    s ustainable development of the Arctic;

• –    s cience and technology;

• –    economic development.

In addition, various special events were held during the the forum, including the meeting of the State Commission for the Arctic Development, the meeting of the governors of the Northern Forum, the forum of the Arctic municipalities, the Arctic business forum, the international youth educational forum "The Arctic. Made in Russia".

All the thematic sessions of the forum took place in motivated and interested atmosphere with the participation of representatives of government, business, mass media, the scientific and educational community, non-profit sector of Russia and foreign countries. More than 150 speakers and moderators, including 45 foreign speakers, took part in the discussions of the Forum.

The key event of the Forum was the plenary session with the participation of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, the President of the Republic of Finland Sauli Niinisto and the President of the Republic of Iceland Gudni Torlatsius Johannesson.

As part of the discussion of the presidents of the Arctic countries, the issues of socioeconomic development of the Arctic territories, climate and environmental changes in the Arctic, and many others were raised. The leitmotiv of the plenary session was the idea that the Arctic region today is a model of constructive peaceful interaction of countries, companies, international structures. The dialogue in the Arctic, according to the heads of the states, needs to be further developed.

The main theme of the forum "Man in the Arctic" was most actively discussed at four sessions: "The Arctic is the Territory of Professionals", "The Arctic is the Territory of History,

Culture and Tourism", "The Arctic is the Territory of Health," and "The Arctic is the Territory of a Favorable Habitat".

The main theme of the session "The Arctic is the Territory of Professionals" was the training of highly qualified personnel for the development of the Arctic territories. The moderator of the discussion was E.V. Kudryashova, the rector of the NArFU named after M.V. Lomonosov.

The Minister of Education and Science of the Russian Federation O. Vasilieva noted the priority of the task of training specialists for working in the Arctic for the federal government. She emphasized that the outflow of young people remains the serious problem in the Arctic territories. The minister said that universities, in particular the Northern (Arctic) Federal University as the forward stronghold, the strong scientific, educational and cultural center, play the important role in keeping talented young people in the northern regions. Modern workplaces and a bright socio-cultural environment is needed to consolidate young professionals. O. Vasilieva thinks that it is necessary to develop the tool of the targeted recruitment for educational programs of the Arctic orientation.

The topic of the international cooperation in the sphere of training and research was the cornerstone of speech of a number of foreign forum guests. For instance, the president of the University of the Arctic L. Kullerud, talked about the joint work of his university with the National Arctic Scientific and Educational Consortium of Russia, as the example of the effective interaction, The Director of the Center for the Arctic Studies at Umeå University P. Scheld paid special attention to the cooperation in training of personnel able to preserve the culture of the indigenous peoples of the Far North, as well as to combat the diseases typical for the Arctic region. The Director of the Polar Initiative program of the Woodrow Wilson International Science Center M. Sfraga noted that it is necessary to clearly distribute research topics among the countries, to borrow the best practices and to establish the effective dialogue between scientists.

The number of participants of the panel discussion shared their experience in scientific and educational activities in the interests of the Arctic territories. The rector of the University of Tromsø A. Hussebekk spoke about the experience of the work of the university on retention of staff, and the rector of the University of Lapland M. Julya-Kotola informed about the contribution of the university to solving applied problems relevant to the northern territories of Finland.

Interesting models and ideas for training personnel for the Arctic enterprises and industries were expressed in speeches by the representatives of the Arctic and non-Arctic regions. R. Abdulina shared the experience of the organization of the Arctic Youth Competence Center in St. Petersburg. T. Buchkova, the Deputy Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, presented the experience of training specialists, including taking into account the interests of indigenous peoples living in the district. She proposed to calculate the needs of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation in the workforce until 2025–2030. And to form the "Atlas of the working professions the Arctic-2030".

• M.    Kovtun, the Governor of the Murmansk region informed about the change in the system of training of personnel, oriented to the needs of the enterprises of the polar region. These changes are manifested at all levels of the system, beginning with preschool education, ending with higher education. Examples of innovations in education: the organization of "Rosneft-classes" in schools, the development of the educational project "Young engineers of the Arctic", the creation of the children's industrial park "Quantorium." M. Sonkin, the Deputy Governor of the Tomsk Region emphasized the successful intersectorial and interregional experience of interaction between the scientific and educational structures of the region.

• L.    Zelkova (PJSC MMC Norilsk Nickel) and N. Nesterova (Gazpromneft-Sakhalin LLC) presented successful cases for training and raising the qualifications of the staff, attracting and stimulating young professionals in business structures.

• O.    Epifanova, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation noted the importance of working opportunities for young specialists in the Arctic regions. The solution of this task requires the unification of the efforts of all structures involved. In order to strengthen the interaction between the legislature and the public, the Expert Council on Legislative Development of the far North, equivalent territories, regions of the Far East, and territories of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation is creating in the State Duma.

It should be noted that the idea of the importance of the recently created the National Arctic Scientific and Educational Consortium was repeatedly expressed in the speeches of the participants, this Consortium can become the initiator, the coordinator in the sphere of the "Arctic" education and scientific activity.

The participants in the session "The Arctic is the Territory of a Favorable Habitat" discussed the ways to ensure healthy and safe working conditions, prevention of occupation diseases, methods of preventing epidemics in the Arctic conditions, the issues of nutrition and quality of drinking water.

• A. Popova, the head of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Welfare, noted that the strengthening and preservation of the health of the population of the macroregion is impossible without the development of international cooperation in the field of monitoring and scientific research of habitat factors typical for the Arctic. She proposed to develop

special diets for children and adults in the north, to strengthen scientific cooperation in forecasting epidemiological risks, including those caused by the climate change and by the shift of vectors of infectious diseases to the north.

The speeches of foreign guests of the forum were full of information. For instance, I. Thomassen, the Director of Science of the Norwegian Institute of Occupational Health, presented the results of studies of the situation in the Arctic related to contamination by the organic, inorganic, chemical compounds of soil, water, ice, organisms and plants in the Arctic region. B. Evengard, Professor of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences spoke about the impact of climate change on human health and the increase in epidemiological risks associated with them.

• A. Totolyan, the Director of the St. Petersburg Institute of Epidemiology and Microbiology, paid the attention to the spread of tick-borne virus encephalitis to the northern regions, as well as to the problem of "northern" immunodeficiency, arising from the natural and climatic conditions of life in the northern latitudes. S. Emmanuilov, the Chairman of the Committee on Health and Social Policy of the Arkhangelsk Regional Assembly of Deputies drew attention to the role of affordable medicine in creating attractive conditions for human life in the Arctic region. He noted that the optimization processes in the country's health care do not fully take into account the specifics of the organization of medical care in remote northern territories.

During the discussion, which also involved representatives of the Northern (Arctic) Federal University named after M.V. Lomonosov, the Northern State Medical University, representatives of private business, various aspects of preserving the health of the local population were discussed, taking into account the climatic features of the Arctic.

It was noted that a man in the North, in the Arctic regions, is initially in unfavorable conditions. Moreover, recently, due to the climate change, new risks and threats to human health appear in the the Arctic. The solution of the problem on the formation of a favorable habitat in the Arctic zone is possible only under terms of systematic study and management of hygienic and epidemiological risks, active international cooperation.

The thematic session "The Arctic is the Territory of Health" was devoted to the impact of environmental factors of the Arctic zone on public health, health development priorities in the Arctic regions of Russia for the coming years, the attraction of medical personnel for work in the circumpolar territories.

• V. Skvortsova, the Minister of Health of the Russian Federation, noted that the prevalence in the Arctic regions is much higher today, and life expectancy is 6–7 years less than in the whole country. The main problems are concentrated in the primary health care. Speaking about the

ministry's plans, the speaker said that medical equipment will be updated in 28 neediest settlements of the macroregion in the coming years, the special program on sanitary aviation has been created and is already working, and special programs have been developed for emergency response by satellite in the event of emergencies in remote and sparsely populated areas.

D. Kobylkin, the Governor of the Yamal-Nenets autonomous district, described how Yamal manages to maintain the average life expectancy of 72 years. According to him, one of the best models of disease prevention has been created in the district. Prevention departments work in each municipality. Particular attention is paid to the promotion of a healthy lifestyle, taking into account regional characteristics. For example, the mobile consulting and diagnostic complex of health is functioning there.

L. Gorbatova, the rector of the Northern State Medical University told about the training of medical specialists for work in the Arctic region. Today the university trains 4.5 thousand students and 5.0 thousand doctors improve their skills there. The University conducts the scientific and methodological support of medical institutions in the regions and carries out the international cooperation, which allows implementing the best practices and exchanging experience. According to the rector, to reduce the deficit of specialists in the Arctic, it is necessary to create a single database on the staffing of medical institutions, to intensify pre–university preparation of entrants, and to increase the number of budget places in the university. In addition, extra measures of social security for young doctors are needed to keep personnel in the Arctic.

G. Ulumbekova, the Chairman of the Board of the Association of Medical Societies for Quality, the head of the Higher School of Health Management reported on the health indicators of the population in the Arctic countries. According to the speaker, expected lifetime in Russia is 8– 10 years less than in Scandinavia, and for men it is less by 10–13 years. The general lifetime is affected by the income of the population, lifestyle, the environment and the health care system, including the amount of financing. In the view of the speaker, in order to improve the situation, it is necessary to increase public funding for the health care system, to supply medications for outpatient clinics, and to increase the availability of medical care, including the system of rural health posts.

The head of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency V. Uiba highlighted the work of the agency for the medical support of employees of the Northern Sea Route. The main task of this specialized healthcare is the prolongation of the longevity of professional workers, which are associated with particularly dangerous and harmful working conditions, the number of which is about 10 million people. One of the Agency's tasks is related to the medical support of the nuclear submarine and surface fleet during its operation and utilization. According to the speaker, since 2010 in Arkhangelsk the work to establish a nuclear medicine center is underway.

Participants in the discussion noted the importance of national, regional and demographic factors in the organization of the system of the medical care for the population. The proposal to develop the agreed concept of protecting the health of the inhabitants of the Arctic was made. Speakers consider that it is necessary to introduce prevention, monitoring and special programs for the preservation of health, including the establishment of centers for marine medicine.

The issues of the preservation of the cultural and historical heritage of the North, contemporary cultural and spiritual life in the Arctic territories, directions and mechanisms for the development of the tourism industry in the Arctic were discussed at the session "The Arctic is the Territory of History, Culture and Tourism". The head of the Federal Agency for Nationalities I. Barinov spoke about what is being done at the federal and regional levels to support the indigenous peoples of the North. He emphasized that it is necessary to strengthen the spiritual and moral unity of indigenous peoples, to promote the preservation of the traditional way of life. The president of the Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russia G. Ledkov emphasized that one of the most important tasks is to organically integrate modern technologies into the traditional way of indigenous peoples. It is necessary that young people consciously make a choice in favor of the traditional way of life.

According to N. Kharitonov, the Chairman of the State Duma Committee for Regional Policy and Problems of the North and Far East, the special attention of legislators is paid to regulatation of the development of the remote Arctic territories, inhabited by the indigenous small peoples.

Canada's senior official in the Arctic Council, E. Leclair, talked about the attention paid to the comfortable life of indigenous peoples in her country, for example, about their mental health. She noted that the interest of indigenous youth to their national culture is growing.

The President of the International Arctic Science Committee S. Barr noted the contradictory role of tourism for the Arctic territories. On the one hand, it is a stimulus for development for indigenous peoples, helps to preserve the spiritual heritage, and on the other hand, tourism increases the anthropogenic pressure on the territory and even leads to the disappearance of cultural and historical values.

Iakov, the bishop of Naryan-Mar and Mezen, in his speech focused on the history of the spiritual development of the Russian North. He noted that Russia has a unique experience of meaningful, spiritual, creative life in the most complicated natural and climatic conditions. The spiritual heritage of the Russian Arctic, in his opinion, must be protected and developed.

The subject of the spiritual development was continued by I. Nikolaev, the director of the charity fund of cultural and socially significant initiatives named after the holy righteous warrior Phedor Ushakov. He spoke about the project "the Northern Spiritual way", which is aimed at the comprehensive study of the spiritual heritage of the Arctic and the formation of pilgrimage routes in the Arctic zone of Russia.

The head of the Federal Agency for Tourism O. Safonov said that tourism for the Arctic zone of Russia is of particular importance. It allows foreign residents and compatriots to open the Arctic, it is a means of interethnic communication. Ecological and industrial tourism have great potential. According to Safonov, only in the territory of Arkhangelsk region there is a cosmodrome, shipbuilding plants, diamond deposits, which are interesting to various categories of tourists. In addition, the head of the agency expects that there are prospects in the development of tourism along the Northern Sea Route.

In general, the participants of the session were unanimous that the cultural and historical heritage of the region should be protected and developed, including competent use of the tourist opportunities of the territory.

The most urgent problems for residents of the Arctic zone of Russia were discussed at the Forum of the Arctic Municipalities. This event was held in the fields of the International Forum on the initiative of the Association the "Arctic Municipalities". Municipalities from all the Arctic regions of Russia, representatives of regional and federal authorities gathered to discuss social and economic problems of the northern territories.

In the welcoming words of the guests of the forum, including the representative of the Russian President for the international cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic A. Chilingarov, the idea was expressed that the formation of Russia's Arctic policy is impossible without the participation of representatives of settlements and districts. The Arctic municipalities form the backbone of the Arctic zone of the country and need the comprehensive support.

During the forum the representatives of the Arctic municipalities discussed the issues of the transport accessibility of settlements, the provision of resources to municipalities, the development of entrepreneurship and tourism in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, the training of personnel and the attraction of youth to the Arctic regions and others.

As a result of the forum, the resolution3 was adopted that contains more than 20 items on various issues related to the development of the Arctic municipalities. It proposed accelerating the introduction of the draft of the Federal Law "On the Development of the Arctic Zone of the Russian Federation" to the State Duma, including representatives of the Arctic municipalities in the State Commission on the Arctic Development, working out and implementing measures to retain and attract young professionals, and stimulate entrepreneurial activities in the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. The Forum participants supported to include in the legislation of the Arctic zone of the RF the provisions establishing the order of guarantees and compensations for persons residing in the Arctic territory of the Russian Federation. It was also recognized that it is necessary to provide for tax rates comparable to tax rates for residents of the priority development areas, as well as the mechanisms for guaranteeing the budget provision of the municipal entities. The participants supported the projects on the development of the transport infrastructure of the macroregion, including the construction of the Belkomur railway and the Vorkuta-Ust-Kara railway, as well as measures to develop educational institutions of higher and secondary professional education in the macro region.

In general, the forum has become the important stage of the discussion of issues related to life in the Arctic with the participation of representatives of federal and regional authorities, business, the scientific and educational community, both in Russia and abroad. The next forum, according to the decision of the Government of the Russian Federation, will be held in 2019 also in Arkhangelsk.