Russia launches international essay contest ‘Open Dialogue – 2026’

Participants from around the world are encouraged to share their vision of the future

Russia’s second international essay competition ‘Open Dialogue – 2026’ has been officially opened for submissions, inviting participants from around the world to share their vision of the future of humanity, society, and the planet.

The National Centre RUSSIA opened submissions on October 7 at the 2nd International Symposium “Inventing the Future.” 

“I am pleased to announce that we are launching a new, second international essay contest. We once again invite young, energetic authors, representatives of different professions and cultures to demonstrate their views on the future: the future of man, society, economies, and the entire planet,” said Maxim Oreshkin, deputy head of the presidential administration.

Oreshkin, who’s also the deputy chairman of the National Centre RUSSIA organizing committee, expressed confidence that the new ideas submitted will be as diverse and inspiring as those from the previous edition. The most innovative concepts, he said, will form the basis of the second Open Dialogue meeting and a forthcoming report titled: ‘The New Economy: Competition for Positive Development.’

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“Open Dialogue can rightfully be called an international event. As part of it, the author’s essay contest was held, in which any person living on our planet could take part. We received 700 works in 16 languages from applicants representing more than 100 countries around the world. One hundred authors came to Moscow and talked about their ideas, proved their viability, their importance for the development of mankind,” Oreshkin emphasized.

Another essay contest held earlier this year, “Dreams of the Future,” brought together 4,000 young participants aged 14 to 18 from across Russia. The project was dedicated to promoting the legacy of Russian and Soviet science fiction. The competition aimed to engage young people with the works of classic sci-fi writers and inspire them to pursue science, creativity, and the realization of new ideas.

The second Open Dialogue essay contest is scheduled to take place in the spring of 2026 at the National Centre RUSSIA. Participants must submit their entries by December 26 of this year.