More than 20,000 participants are expected at the international Kazan Digital Week forum, which will take place in Kazan from September 17 to 19, Russia’s Digital Development Minister Maksut Shadayev said at a TASS press conference dedicated to the event.
He noted that this will be the forum’s sixth edition and that both attendance and the number of participating companies have multiplied over the years. “We expect more than 20,000 participants—roughly twice as many as the first forum attracted—and around 200 companies,” Shadayev said.
The minister added that the program will be packed: over 100 events will be held during the forum. All leading Russian IT companies will be represented. Organizers also expect participation from 60 countries. “We’re seeing growing interest in the event not only inside the country, but abroad as well,” he added.
“Traditionally, the forum hosts large regional sessions. This year, all regional chief digital transformation officers will take part. We’ll discuss digital transformation in general education, sectoral management in sports, and a major block devoted to the ‘smart city,’” Shadayev concluded.
International Participants
Ayrat Khayrullin, Minister of Digital Development of Public Administration, Information Technologies and Communications of the Republic of Tatarstan, said the forum will host 33% more participants than last year.
“More than 60 participating countries—Qatar, India, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Pakistan, China, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Moldova, Malaysia, Nigeria, Palestine, Senegal, Turkey, CIS countries. The strong interest from our international partners is driven by the fact that Russia and Tatarstan can offer competitive solutions from domestic IT companies that are relevant for global markets,” he said at the press conference.
Khayrullin noted that this year’s exhibition lineup is already set. Among the companies presenting stands at the forum, roughly 32% are Tatarstan-based, 60% are other domestic companies, and 8% are international. He added that many countries will be represented by official delegations: “We expect delegations with the ambassadors extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Kuwait, Nicaragua, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, and Angola. We also expect the minister of information and telecommunications of Serbia, the first deputy minister of digital technologies of Uzbekistan, the first deputy minister of communications of Cuba, as well as representatives of city halls from China, Turkey, Brazil, and Ethiopia. The director of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce trade office and other high-level guests are also expected.”
About the Forum
Kazan Digital Week was first held in 2020 and received federal status in 2023. In 2024, the forum brought together more than 19,000 participants, including 12,500 in person and over 5,000 online. A total of 215 organizations and companies took part in the exhibition, presenting 141 stands.
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Based on TASS materials