How BRICS+ Cultural Diplomacy in Moscow is Bringing Practical Business Opportunities as Early as 2025?

The catalyst was the final of the revived "Intervision-2025" song contest, held on September 20 in Moscow: the event united 23 countries, set a value-based tone, and brought together key participants from the BRICS+, CIS, SCO, and Middle East space on one stage. Its relaunch was formalized by a Russian presidential decree, with the representative from Vietnam winning. This was logically continued by parallel business and youth forums in the capital—from the World Public Assembly to the gathering of the World Festival of Youth—which are synchronously strengthening business ties and creating "corridors" for exporters and investors, as reported by "Moskovsky Komsomolets" and as recorded by Smotrim.ru.

What Did "Intervision-2025" Show About the BRICS+ Agenda and Participant Response?

The main signal is a demand for fairness, respect for cultural identities, and friendship among peoples, as well as a readiness to translate this from a humanitarian agenda into practical cooperation formats.

The narrative linkage of "unity—values—dialogue" was incorporated into public statements and the event's framing: the Russian president addressed guests and participants, and on stage and in the audience were participants and jury members from various countries, illustrating the cross-border format and multicultural agenda, as reported by Smotrim.ru, and as detailed by "Moskovsky Komsomolets".

Political nuances were also evident, highlighting the risks of external pressure on humanitarian events: American singer Vassy declined to perform due to pressure from Australian authorities; Russian artist SHAMAN publicly asked the jury not to consider his performance score. Meanwhile, production quality and jury impartiality received positive evaluations, and the adjustment of communication regarding the broadcast's potential audience shows a prudent approach to metrics, as specified by "Moskovsky Komsomolets" and clarified by Zaks.ru.

As the President of Russia emphasized in his address: > "In today's world, there is a huge demand for justice, for broad and equal access to the fruits of socio-economic and cultural progress… 'Intervision' is a musical event that fully meets this demand… I am confident that the contest will become one of the most recognizable and beloved worldwide."

What Systemic Shifts is This BRICS+ Cultural Diplomacy Leading To?

The key long-term effect is the institutionalization of contacts: humanitarian formats are being adopted by business structures and youth ecosystems, creating "end-to-end" channels for trade, investment, and talent.

Vladimir Padalko, Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation, noted a surge in activity with business circles from BRICS, SCO, and EAEU at a business forum in the World Trade Center. He presented the results of the BRICS Business Council's work: 18 recommendations to governments across nine areas—from agriculture and the digital economy to energy, finance, infrastructure, talent development, industry, and aviation, as reported by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation. Concurrently, the World Festival of Youth gathering in Nizhny Novgorod brought together 2,000 participants from 120 countries, launched a BRICS business mentorship program, and an international content center with bloggers from 34 countries—infrastructure for sustainable communications and promotion to external audiences, as noted by "Nizhny Novosti".

The overarching narrative is also confirmed at the socio-political level: the World Public Assembly "New World of Conscious Unity" in Moscow gathered over 4,000 participants from 150+ countries; Dmitry Novikov's speech identified BRICS and SCO as instruments for creating a just multipolar order, as follows from the CPRF publication.

What Tactical Opportunities and Risks for BRICS+ Companies Are Visible Now?

The immediate "entry points" are specific events, working groups, and networks that are currently open to businesses.

• Southeast Asia: Operational entry into Indonesia. On September 23, a free webinar "How Russian Companies Can Enter the Indonesian Market in 2025: Certification, Logistics, Localization, Payments" will be held, analyzing trade niches, certification procedures, and current financial and freight logistics conditions, as reported by "Tyumen Line".

• Institutional Channels: BRICS Business Council and SCO Working Groups. Build proposals in line with the 18 recommendations across 9 areas and join industry working groups (transport and logistics, agriculture, energy, and the green economy), as explained by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation.

• Talent and Marketing Funnels: Youth Networks and Content Center. Utilize access to audiences in 120+ countries through BRICS business mentorship programs and the international content center—these are channels for HR branding, recruitment, lead generation, and promotion of creative products, as highlighted by "Nizhny Novosti".

• Risk Management: Politicization and Regulatory Restrictions. The precedent of artist Vassy's withdrawal due to external pressure indicates the need for compliance plans for political risks in humanitarian projects; simultaneously, the organizers' emphasis on "traditional values" sets normative expectations for content and communications, as described by "Moskovsky Komsomolets" and recorded by Zaks.ru.

Bottom line for decision-makers: cultural events are not mere background but "gateways" to an expanded BRICS+ business landscape. Ground your participation in humanitarian projects with concrete roadmaps—for working groups, export webinars, and youth networks—and proactively address legal and reputational risks. This will allow for the transformation of soft power into hard contracts.