How BRICS+ is Building Cultural and Educational "Soft Power" and What Opportunities This Opens for Business

The catalyst is the synchronized shift towards joint creative, educational, and environmental programs. In St. Petersburg, an international conference on the creative economy gathered 1,500 participants from 32 countries, including BRICS, CIS, SCO, and MENA states, to discuss the impact of creative industries on the economy and new cooperation chains, as reported by Petersburg Diary. Concurrently, Brazil launched its national "Ocean Without Plastic" strategy until 2030, including educational programs and a monitoring system, according to BELTA.

What Signal Do the New BRICS+ Initiatives Send About the Priority of Cultural, Educational, and Environmental Interaction?

The signal is a transition from isolated events to systematic programs with international reach and a clear institutional architecture. The St. Petersburg conference aligns with the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) "Russian International Creative Seasons" initiative, aimed at joint projects with BRICS, CIS, SCO, and MENA countries, as explained by Petersburg Diary and announced by Tsargrad.

The foresight field also includes the II International Symposium "Creating the Future," where participants from 85 countries discussed societal and AI prospects, created a scenario bank for future ideas, and announced the establishment of the Institute of Social Architecture. The reception of works for an international essay competition has begun, with final discussions scheduled for 2026, as reported by Lenta.ru.

The vector is clear: youth, cultural, and technological tracks are converging into a single cooperation ecosystem.

As Svetlana Chupsheva, CEO of ASI, emphasized, the "Creative Seasons" idea is about joint, mutually beneficial projects based on preserving the cultural codes of BRICS, CIS, SCO, and MENA countries, as she reported to Tsargrad. > "We are ready to create joint mutually beneficial projects with countries belonging to key international associations – CIS, BRICS, SCO, and MENA. Such cooperation will allow us to preserve and transmit the cultural codes of each country."

How Are These Initiatives Being Translated into Economic Chains and Personnel Programs?

Through urban support measures for creative businesses, co-production of content, and inter-university alliances. St. Petersburg has already increased the share of creative industries to 4.5% of its economy (150,000 employed, over 30,000 companies) and is scaling up tools: unsecured loans up to 5 million rubles through the Microfinance Fund, preferential loans up to 20 million at 5%, and export of creative brands through "Petersburg Design" (400+ brands), according to Petersburg Diary.

The personnel and scientific component is being addressed by the VII Forum of Rectors of Russia and Cuba (MSU, Oct. 9–10): academic mobility, joint programs and research centers, strengthening inter-university associations, and expanding cooperation in multilateral formats, including BRICS, as reported by Scientific Russia.

As a result, cultural events are gaining a "long-term" economy – from co-production and creative exports to training personnel for joint markets.

Where Are New Projects for Youth and "People's Diplomacy" Already Being Launched?

In schools, student forums, and bilateral educational centers. St. Petersburg has opened Russia's first BRICS Cultural Ambassadors Children's Clubs (School No. 653 named after Rabindranath Tagore and Gymnasium No. 192), focused on learning the languages, arts, and traditions of the association's member states and developing people's diplomacy, as reported by Russian Education. In Tatarstan, the "Liga Forum" is preparing an application to become the first international student forum of BRICS; federal funding is being discussed, according to Kazan Vedomosti.

Bilateral cultural bridges are also being strengthened through the "Great Teachers of BRICS" centers: there are already eight in Russia and India, with two more planned to open in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo in October, as reported by the SCAO Moscow Prefecture.

This youth and cultural loop is complemented by environmental education.

In Brazil, the "Ocean Without Plastic" strategy (2025–2030) includes educational programs, a ban on microplastics in cosmetics, gradual reduction of single-use plastics, and the establishment of a national monitoring system, according to BELTA.

What Tactical Opportunities Are Opening Up for BRICS+ Businesses and Universities in the Next 6–12 Months?

The main windows of opportunity are co-production in creative industries, educational partnerships, and eco-projects with a strong educational component.

• Engage in co-production of content and brand promotion within international "creative seasons," synchronizing catalogs, IPs, and distribution chains with BRICS, CIS, SCO, and MENA partners.
• For universities: launch bilateral master's tracks, summer schools, and exchanges with Cuba and other BRICS partners based on rector forums and inter-university associations.
• For EdTech, publishers, and cultural institutions: pilot programs for school networks through BRICS Cultural Ambassadors Children's Clubs and thematic lecture series.
• For ESG departments and "green" businesses: participate in the educational and monitoring components of Brazil's anti-plastic strategy (a piece towards the overall climate/oceans/education agenda).
• For creative SMEs: utilize urban financial instruments (microloans, preferential loans) to launch joint products and events for the niches of the 32-country network of the creative conference.
• For youth communities and corporations: integrate into student formats (e.g., "Liga Forum") as a channel for talent selection and testing applied projects.
• For experts and innovators: participate in the "Open Dialogue" ecosystem's international essay competition, with subsequent discussion of the best ideas at the 2026 forum.

Conclusion: BRICS+ is rapidly building a "soft power" infrastructure where culture, education, and ecology merge with applied economics. For companies and universities, this is a chance to establish positions in emerging international chains before the rules of the game are finalized.