“Municipal service is service to the people”: managers from all regions of the country gathered in the capital

The All-Russian Municipal Forum “Small Motherland – the Strength of Russia” was held in Moscow

The All-Russian Municipal Forum “Small Motherland – the Strength of Russia” was held at the site of the International Exhibition and Forum “Russia”. Participants discussed the importance of the municipal level of government, the importance of officials “on the ground” for communication with Russians. The forum was organized by the All-Russian Association for the Development of Local Self-Government (VARMSU).

This forum became a key event in the organization of municipal government in the country. For the first time on Monday, January 15, 7.5 thousand representatives of municipalities from 89 regions of the country gathered in one place. The forum is being held for the first time on behalf of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, voiced at a meeting of the Presidential Council for the Development of Local Self-Government.

First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President of the Russian Federation Sergei Kiriyenko spoke at the panel discussion “Strength in People”.

He emphasized the importance of working “on the ground,” noting that municipal employees are representatives of the level of government closest to the people, so their main mission is to serve the benefit of the state and its society.

“You are at the forefront of communication with people, you are the face of the entire system of public power. Let me emphasize that municipal service is not just a job, it is a service. Behind these words are values ​​- attitudes that shape both motivation and, ultimately, the result. Service is not just work, it is a sincere impulse to make the surrounding reality better day by day. Not because they will be paid or praised for it, but because the heart dictates so,” Kiriyenko said during his speech.

The forum is a new milestone in the development of local self-government in the country. As participants reported, this is the first time that heads of municipalities from all over the country are gathering in such numbers in one place. Separately, it is worth noting that the venue of the event is the International Exhibition and Forum “Russia” – this is a landmark place where the main achievements of each region of the country are presented today.

“This is a very important forum, because the government closest to the people is the municipal government. Heads of municipalities are the people who implement national projects with their own hands and execute Presidential Decrees. Thank you to the President for holding this forum and for the agenda that is being discussed here. I think a lot of changes will occur as a result of the discussions that took place today,” said Governor of the Novgorod Region Andrei Nikitin.

“The country is establishing the right vertical structure. And today at the forum we met each other, we know who lives what, we help. In the Stavropol Territory today you can calmly go to the heads of cities without a secretary and solve problems quickly. The main thing is to be ready for changes, concentrate on development, listen to people,” said the head of the city of Nevinnomyssk, Hero of the Russian Federation Mikhail Minenkov.

The panel discussion also raised issues of professional development of municipal management teams.

“Today in Russia the mechanism of social elevators is successfully operating. One of its key elements is education. Lifelong learning is the need of the hour. For those who want to develop their career in the public administration system, the Presidential Academy has created a wide range of programs. A special place in it is occupied by the “School of Governors”, 51 of whose graduates have already become regional leaders, five have taken the posts of federal ministers. Last year, the “School of Mayors” began operating at the Academy, and 4 of its students were promoted while still studying. — said the Rector of the Presidential Academy, General Director of the ANO “Russia – Land of Opportunities” Alexey Komissarov.

During the day, at the VDNKh site in Moscow, 3 large panel discussions, 32 round tables, and 25 lectures were held in 8 pavilions. At the forum, four large-scale municipal projects of VARMSU were presented, as well as the results of the Marathon “Municipal Dialogue 2023” were summed up.