Is there a mistake in the phrase from the "Express newspaper" dated February 13, 2019: "We note that the snowfall that hit the capital region on the night of February 12-13 was one of the heaviest since the beginning of winter.. ."

In the word collapsed incorrect ending before became a comma is missing.

	Question #299363

Hello! Please help resolve the issue. In the sentence "Over the course of several years, she collected a large number of folk songs recorded during her tour of the region and the regions adjacent to it." Adjacent or Adjacent? How is it right and why?

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Right: by region(what?) adjacent. The participle agrees with the noun in gender, number, and case. Because the noun is in the dative plural form ( regions), then the participle adjoined must also be in the dative plural form ( adjacent).

	Question #293277

In the group of one regional newspaper in social networks there is such a subheading: "Whether their installation is expedient and where they will be located will be decided by a special commission." Where are commas needed?

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Right: Whether their installation is expedient and where they will be located will be decided by a special commission.

	Question No. 292201

Hello! Is it spelled correctly: Western European region? Thank you.

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Right: Western European region.

	Question No. 291102

Please explain how the phrase "Moscow region" is spelled correctly - with an uppercase or lowercase letter? On our site, we often use this combination, referring to Moscow and the Moscow Region together. However, readers often come with comments about the need to write the Moscow region with a capital letter, because. this is already an established expression by analogy with the Boulevard Ring. We believe that the Moscow region is an unofficial geographical name denoting the territory (Moscow + Moscow Region), and therefore should be written with a small letter. Is it so? Thank you!

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

	Question No. 290243

These Ural regions. Why with a small letter - Ural?

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Adjectives formed from geographical names are capitalized if they are part of compound names - geographical and administrative-territorial, individual names of people, names of historical eras and events, institutions, architectural and other monuments, military districts and fronts.

In other cases, they are written with a lowercase letter.

Wed, for example: the Neva banks, the Neva embankments and Alexander Nevsky, Nevsky Prospekt, the Nevsky Battle; Don Cossacks and Dmitry Donskoy, Donskoy Monastery; Moscow streets, quarters, Moscow way of life and the Moscow region, Moscow railway station (in St. Petersburg), Moscow State Conservatory; Kazan sights and the Kazan Kremlin, Kazan University, Kazan Cathedral (in St. Petersburg, Moscow); the North Caucasian nature and the North Caucasian region, the North Caucasian military district; 1st Belorussian Front, Potsdam Conference, St. Petersburg Mint, Great Wall of China, Grand Kremlin Palace.

	Question #289474

Good afternoon. Please tell me how to write "Siberian region" correctly - with a capital letter or with a small one? After all, if we are talking about the Federal District, then the answer is clear. Here we are not talking about the common name ...

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Correct capitalization: Siberian region.

	Question #288154

The Central Economic Region is spelled with a capital C. And the Central Region?

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Both names are capitalized: Central economic region, Central region.

	Question #284898

Good afternoon! Is it correctly written: "Central Asian states", but "Central Asian region"? Or is it also necessary to write "Central Asian region"?

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

You wrote correctly: Central Asian states, but Central Asian region.

	Question #283449

Hello! Please tell me how to spell "Moscow region" - with a lowercase or uppercase "M"? Thank you.

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Correctly capitalized: Moscow region .

	Question #282764

Good afternoon. Tell me what letter the Forum of Social Innovations Regions is spelled with

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

You spelled this name correctly. The first word of the official name of the event is capitalized.

	Question #281956

Hello! Can you please tell me if the Arctic region is capitalized or lowercase?

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Correctly: Arctic region.

	Question #281885

Please tell me which is correct "non-oil and gas regions" or "non-oil and gas regions"? Both spellings are used in online publications. Thank you.

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

The spelling depends on whether the negation applies not to the whole combination (then you need to write separately) or only to the adjective (then the continuous spelling is correct). Wed: this is not an oil and gas region, but a natural reserve and the rules are the same for all regions – oil and gas and non-oil and gas.

	Question #281728

tell me how to write the word "Central Asian", "Central Asian", "Central Asian", "Central Asian" or "Central Asian" correctly. thanks in advance

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Adjectives formed from geographical names are capitalized if they are part of compound names - geographical and administrative-territorial, individual names of people, names of historical eras and events, institutions, architectural and other monuments, military districts and fronts. In other cases, they are written with a lowercase letter. For example: Central Asian region(name), but: Central Asian nature.

	Question No. 280131

Good afternoon! Tell me, please: North Caucasian region - spelling the official name, but how to write the North Caucasian or North Caucasian republics? Thanks for the help.

The answer of the reference service of the Russian language

Correctly: North Caucasian republics.

The Barents Region is one of the largest reserves of untouched natural ecosystems on Earth. Northern nature is very diverse - from the largest tracts of untouched forests preserved on the planet to tundra and glaciers, from swamps and lakes to the harsh Arctic seas. Many rare and endangered species of plants and animals live here, such as the polar bear, the Atlantic walrus, and the wild reindeer. This region is unique and at the same time extremely vulnerable. Increasing and often unsustainable use of natural resources poses a serious threat to the remaining areas of wilderness. Irreparable damage is caused to fragile northern ecosystems by unsustainable forest management, oil and gas and mineral extraction, and poaching. In order to protect the unique, but so fragile northern nature, we work here - specialists from the Barents Branch of WWF.

Northern berry - cloudberry. Kola Peninsula © Lyubov Trifonova

Northern lights. Kola Peninsula. © Dmitry Chistoprudov

WWF Barents team

There are only 10 people in our team and everyone is a professional in their field, dedicated to the cause of nature conservation and believing in the set goals.

For many, summer time is a holiday period. But not for us! We spend the warm season with heavy backpacks in the wild taiga, tundra, on the islands of the White and Barents Seas, where we identify natural values, count walruses, assess the impact of human activity on the environment and design new specially protected natural areas.

However, field expeditions are only a small part of our work. The main activity of an ecologist is far from being as romantic as it seems at first glance. This includes the processing of expedition data, and the interpretation of satellite images, and the preparation of analytical materials, and the development of justifications for the creation of a nature reserve or national park, as well as numerous meetings, discussions and negotiations with government officials, timber merchants, fishermen, the local population, journalists, speeches at seminars and conferences various levels, and much more.

We are always happy to help our supporters and volunteers and are open to anyone who wants to help nature.

Do you know that…

• In the Arkhangelsk region, one of the last large tracts of untouched forests on the planet has been preserved, the age of which is about 4 thousand years, and the area is about 1 million hectares.
• For scientists, it still remains a mystery how the wild reindeer manages to survive on about. The northern archipelago of Novaya Zemlya, where there is practically no vegetation and almost 9 months of the year there is snow.
• The Barents region is a permanent habitat for polar bears and Atlantic walruses, marine mammals listed in the Red Book.
• The Barents Sea is one of the largest commercial basins in the World Ocean.
• The world's northernmost stony coral, Lophelia, lives in the Barents Sea and forms powerful reefs on the continental slope.

Introduction 3

1. Factors of education and goals of the Barents Region 5

2. Education and development of the Barents region 8

3. Cooperation between countries in the Barents region 10

Conclusion 14

References 15

Introduction

The subject of this work is the Barents Euro-Arctic Region, which is abbreviated as the Barents Region or BEAR. The Barents region is an association of regions and countries that are very different in terms of economic and social development, but have a certain commonality that makes it possible to consider it as a separate economic and geographical region of the world.

The Barents Euro-Arctic Region (Barents Region) includes the provinces of their counterpart to Europe, located to the north or crossed by the Arctic Circle. From a geographical point of view, the Barents region is a natural link between the northern regions of Europe and Russia. The Barents Region is the region where the countries of the European Community (EU) border Russia.

It includes parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia adjacent to the Barents Sea, allocated for the purpose of developing international cooperation.

The Barents region has a long coastline along the Norwegian, Barents, White Seas and the Gulf of Bothnia of the Baltic Sea. The relief of the region is very diverse. In the west and northwest - in Norway, Sweden and the Kola Peninsula are mountainous areas. In the east and southeast, the terrain is more flat. In Russia and Finland, forests and swamps are widespread, in the Nenets Okrug - flat arctic and subarctic tundra, where permafrost prevails.

The Barents Region is home to about 4.4 million people and is the most densely populated region in the Arctic. Indigenous peoples live here - the Saami, whose life is still closely connected with nature.

At the regional level, the supreme body of the organization is the Regional Council, which consists of political or administrative leaders of each of the regions (republics, counties, fiefs). Additionally, it includes a representative of the indigenous peoples of each region. The chairman is elected for 3 years, the chairmanship is carried out by each country in turn. The current work is managed by the Regional Committee, which is composed of appointed advisers from all administrative divisions of the region.

The purpose of this work is to study the Barents region as a unique example of foreign economic cooperation.

1. Factors of education and goals of the Barents region

The processes of globalization in the broadest sense are characterized by a sharp increase and complication of mutual ties and mutual dependencies in the main areas of economic, political and social life, which are acquiring planetary proportions. Rapidly progressing globalization affects the most diverse aspects of our lives - economy, politics, culture, ideology, security, environment. We are witnessing intensive processes of integration of countries, the formation of global economic unions, the building of supranational institutions for managing social processes, but along with this, reverse processes are also observed: an increase in diversity, the degree of fragmentation of the world, the growth of national self-consciousness and the strengthening of cultures -noy differentiation of peoples, the revival of traditional values, the expansion of local nationalist aspirations, sometimes leading to conflicts.

The region is the very level of organization of the world social community, which gives a certain "globalness" to local processes, and vice versa, adapts global trends to local cultural and historical specifics. It is at this stage of social self-organization that a balance is established between integration and disintegration, between the center and the periphery. Regionalization is the way to the balance of the planetary system.

Regionalization is presented as a process of successive democratic changes in society, the state, in the field, aimed at increasing the role of the regions.

Region - an area, a district belonging to a certain region, a separate region, a part of a country that differs from others in a set of natural and historically established, relatively stable economic, geographical and other features, often combined with ethnic composition population. This is a regional space, territorially but limited, built on territorial grounds. It can be not only internal, as an administrative-territorial territorial entity, but also within the boundaries of several neighboring units, including international, interstate. This may be a group of neighboring countries that are similar in ethnic composition and culture, of the same type in terms of socio-political structure, representing a separate economic and geographical region of the world, for example, the Barents region.

The basis for the allocation of space as a region is not only the territory, administrative-state structure, economics or politics, but also the regional community, population, its social, demographic composition, mentality, culture, values, needs, interests , level and quality of life.

Convergence of territories and the formation of a single regional community is facilitated by: 1

Administrative-territorial division within the country;

Single natural and climatic space, territorial, geographical proximity (North of Europe, North of Russia, White Sea, etc.);

Political factors - in the formation of interstate, interethnic regional spaces, interregional interaction (White Sea Council, North-West Association, etc.);

Socio-economic cooperation: trade, exchange of goods and services, search and development of raw materials, development of education, healthcare, services, transport, communications, roads, ports;

Sociocultural ties, common values, religion, traditions, art, interethnic contacts;

Ecology, concern for the preservation of the natural and socio-cultural environment of human habitation.

Sociocultural space is the most important characteristic of the regional social mind. This is a space of social activity of people, the spread of culture, it is multi-layered, but has its own integrity, its own framework, primarily cultural and civilizational.

The objectives of the Barents Region in the area of ​​regional policy development are as follows: 2

Preservation of the integrity of the region, removal of conflicts and contradictions both at the level of authorities and at the level of public opinion.

Equality and cooperation of regions, prevention of regional preferences, elimination of conflicts between regions.

Uniformity of the legal field, openness of administrative borders.

Effective assistance of states in the territorial self-organization of society.

Formation of safe living conditions for the population in the Barents Euro-Arctic region.

To this end, the participants agreed to establish the Barents Euro-Arctic Council in order to give impetus to existing cooperation and to consider new initiatives and proposals. The Regulations on the Council are attached.

The purpose of the work of the Council will be to promote the sustainable development of the region, bearing in mind the principles and recommendations contained in the Declaration of the Rio Conference and Agenda 21 of the UN Conference on Environment and Development. In this regard, the Council will serve as a forum for discussing bilateral and multilateral cooperation in the fields of economy, trade, science and technology, tourism, environment, infrastructure, education and cultural exchange, as well as projects specifically aimed at improving the situation of the indigenous population of the North.

Participants stressed that the Council will not duplicate or replace work already underway bilaterally or multilaterally, but will, wherever possible, seek to give impetus and coherence to regional cooperation and encourage new collaborative efforts, bilateral and multilateral, to address emerging challenges and seize opportunities region.

2. Education and development of the Barents region

On January 11, 1993, the Barents Euro-Arctic Cooperation Conference took place in Kirkenes, Norway. The Foreign Ministers or representatives of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden and the Commission of the European Communities attended the Conference, which was also attended by observers from the United States of America, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Poland and the United Kingdom. 3

The participants expressed their conviction that enlargement would significantly contribute to stability and development in the region and Europe as a whole, where partnership is now replacing the confrontation and disunity of the past. The participants are confident that such cooperation will contribute to international peace and security.

The participants see the Barents cooperation initiative as part of the process of expanding European cooperation and integration, to which the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe has given a new dimension. They see the establishment of the Council of the Baltic Sea States in Copenhagen in March 1992 as a further contribution to strengthening regional cooperation in Europe.

They also expressed their belief that the establishment of closer cooperation in the Barents Euro-Arctic region will be an important contribution to the creation of a new European architecture by ensuring closer links between the North of Europe and the rest of the continent.

The participants expressed their support for the ongoing reform process in Russia, which aims in particular to strengthen democracy, market economy and local institutions and is therefore important for closer regional cooperation in the Barents Euro-Arctic region.

The participants expressed their desire to uphold the age-old commitment of the peoples of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region to friendship and cooperation, and stressed the fundamental importance of the historical change resulting from the end of an era of ideological and military confrontation in Europe. They welcomed the first steps taken at the local and regional levels to develop cooperation, and especially the creation of an interregional working group of representatives from the provinces and regions of Finland, Norway, Russia and Sweden. They expressed their gratitude for the valuable contribution to the work of the "Committee of the North Calotte" over the past two decades to the northern provinces of Finland, Norway and Sweden. They took note of the report of the Conference of Experts on the Barents Euro-Arctic Region in Kirkenes, 25-27 September 1992. They also took note of the results of the International Conference of Experts on the Northern Sea Route, held in Tromso, Norway, in October 1992. 4

So, the Barents Euro-Arctic region is the territories adjacent to the Barents Sea, allocated on January 11, 1993 in order to develop international cooperation.

Includes the provinces of Norway: Nordland, Troms, Finnmark, the fiefs of Sweden: Vesterbotten and Norrbotten, the provinces of Finland: Lapland, Northern Ostrobothnia and Kainuu, and the regions of Russia: the Murmansk and Arkhangelsk regions, the Komi and Karelia Republics, the Nenets Autonomous monotonous district.

The four participating States take turns leading the cooperation. The territory of the region is 1.9 million km2, the population is 6 million people.

Cooperation within the Barents Euro-Arctic region is carried out at two levels: central and regional.

To manage cooperation at the central level, the Barents Council was created, which includes the foreign ministers of the four countries. At the regional level, there is no Regional Council, which includes the administrative heads of the cooperating territories (governors).

3. Interaction of countries in the Barents region

The Barents Euro-Arctic region is a complex entity, also due to the fact that the differences between the Scandinavian countries and the Russian part of the region are observed in the following: 5

Language and culture.

Legal, political and economic traditions.

Standard of living and purchasing power.

Residents of the Scandinavian part of the BR grew up in an open democratic legal state, marked by personal freedom and market relations, the Soviet society was distinguished by closeness, a command economy and a cruel apparatus of power.

Now the public of the northern countries is united in what concerns the foundations of their political and economic system, while on the Russian territory there is still complete uncertainty, which is reflected both in the behavior of individuals and organizations.

The Russian part of the region is an integral part of a great power, the largest country in the world in terms of territory, while the Scandinavian countries are small states.

The Russian population of the region is three times the population of the Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish parts combined (the approximate ratio is 3.5 and 1 million people, respectively).

On Russian territory there is a huge number of military units and military equipment, including nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors.

The Barents Euro-Arctic region was formed to meet the needs of the superpower of the Soviet Union in military power and state security, but now it is located in a peaceful corner of the great power of Russia and does not meet the needs of this state, but already by its existence and the presence of its own special interests, this military complex, of course, affects Russian policy in this region.

On both sides of the border between East and West, there are many people who perceive increased cooperation as a threat to the social order and basic social values ​​of their countries. The Russians fear, in particular, that foreigners with high purchasing power will gradually dictate their terms and turn Russia into a passive supplier of raw materials. In the Scandinavian part of the region, they are afraid that the Russians will bring to the region all the negative aspects of modern Russian society: cruelty, irresponsibility, corruption, etc.

But despite the fact that the Barents region is an association of regions and countries that are very different in terms of the level of economic and social development: energy and capital-labor ratio of workers, the share of physical and mental labor, manual, mechanized and automated labor , according to the share of skilled labor, the level of development of infrastructure, social indicators, this territory has certain features that are unique to it.

At the same time, the main sign of the uniqueness of the North is its multifactorial extremality, the components of which are:

The extreme nature of natural conditions, including the extreme heat and moisture supply, manifested in the presence of cryogenic soils, vast swamps and waterlogged forest lands on the plains, in the seasonal nature of precipitation, high and deep floods, and sudden changes in air temperature , anticyclonar atmospheric regime, in insufficient heat supply during the growing season, high seismicity in mountainous areas, resulting in uncomfortable living (natural-climatic factor, the impact on the human body of a complex of meteorological influences - air temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, solar (ultraviolet) radiation, wind speed).

Unfavorable conditions for human life. These include: temperature, light, geographical extremes. Features of physiological norms of health, household habits, economic structure, ethnic psychology, self-awareness, the system of traditions help the indigenous population to resist their influence.

A higher cost of living, which is associated with the duration of the heating season, the total thermal insulation of clothing, the sum of active temperatures during the growing season, and the increase in the cost of developing the territory.

An extensive type of nature management aimed at the extraction of raw materials, which prevails over the traditional livelihood economy of the indigenous population with nomadic animal husbandry, sedentary marine trade and hunting. Disproportions of these types of nature management have a destructive anthropogenic impact on the natural environment.

A more acute manifestation of the socio-economic crisis. Production volumes in the North decreased 1.5-2 times faster than the average for Russia. We are talking about a decrease in the extraction of oil, coal, iron ore, gold, apatite concentrate, a decrease in the volume of logging and processing of timber, difficulties in the agricultural sector of the economy, etc.

A dangerous trend of autonomous inclusion of the nature management of the North into the system of the world economy, which leads to the withdrawal of natural wealth, labor and intellectual resources and to the dependence of the regions of the North on countries with developed economies. Hence, a potential threat arises to the state structure of Russia, its economy, the livelihood of the population and the ecological state of the environment. 6

Conclusion

So, the activities of the Council of the Barents/Euro-Arctic Region (BEAC) and the Regional Council of the BEAR are focused on establishing broad international cooperation in the Barents region, promoting the integrated development of the regions of the North-West, solving their socio-economic and environmental problems.

Among the areas of cooperation: economics and tourism, environmental protection, transport and communications, energy conservation, agriculture and reindeer husbandry, indigenous peoples, information systems, the Northern Sea Route, healthcare, science, culture and education, youth cooperation, cooperation within the EU Tacis Programs and Interreg.

Cooperation between the member countries of the Barents region and the EU is being stepped up within the framework of the Northern Dimension strategy, which, after its approval in December 1998 at the European Union summit in Vienna, became an integral part of EU policy. One of the goals of the Northern Dimension strategy is the EU financing of those projects in Russia that are of importance to the entire European Union. Objectively, the implementation of the Northern Dimension strategy will meet the interests of the subjects of the Russian Federation, provided that specific projects are oriented towards the integrated development of the North-West of Russia. In particular, in 2000, the Tacis leadership included the Barents region in the list of priorities along with the Kaliningrad region. The authorities of the Barents region at the central and regional levels will have to determine the actions necessary for the Barents region to have a clearly defined role in the EU's Northern Dimension, and the strategy itself to be filled with real content.

Bibliographic list

Bulatov VN Barentsev Euro-Arctic region: history and modernity: textbook. manual for university students / V. N. Bulatov, A. A. Shalev. - Arkhangelsk: PGU, 2008. - 173 p.

Opportunities for cooperation in the Barents region // Bulletin of the National Academy of Tourism. - 2008. - No. 1. - S. 3-3.

Kovaleva A.M. Economic Geography: Textbook / A.M. Kovalev. - M.: Infra, 2004. - 325 p.

Lukashin S.I. Barents region: development prospects / S.I. Lukashin. - M.: Aspect, 2004. - 349 p.

Rubtsova N.A. Barents region in the context of globalization and regionalization // Pomor University Bulletin. Series: Humanities and social sciences. - 2009. - No. 5. - S. 60-64.

Kharitonov A.M. Economic geography: textbook / A.M. Kharitonov. - M.: Aspect, 2005. - 489 p.

Economic Geography: Textbook / Ed. prof. M.N. Chepurina, prof. E.A. Kiseleva. - Kirov.: ASA, 2003. - 456 p.

1 Economic Geography: Textbook / Ed. prof. M.N. Chepurina, prof. E.A. Kiseleva. - Kirov.: ASA, 2003. S. 133.

2 Rubtsova N.A. The Barents region in the context of globalization and regionalization // Bulletin of the Pomor University. Series: Humanities and social sciences. - 2009. - No. 5. - S. 60-64.

3 Kovaleva A.M. Economic Geography: Textbook / A.M. Kovalev. - M.: Infra, 2004. S. 211.

4 Opportunities for cooperation in the Barents region // Bulletin of the National Academy of Tourism. - 2008. - No. 1. - S. 3-3.

5 Bulatov VN Barentsev Euro-Arctic region: history and modernity: textbook. manual for university students / V. N. Bulatov, A. A. Shalev. - Arkhangelsk: PGU, 2008. S. 45.

6 Rubtsova N.A. Barents region in the context of globalization and regionalization // Pomor University Bulletin. Series: Humanities and social sciences. - 2009. - No. 5. - S. 60-64.

Euro-Arctic Region) - territories adjacent ... Shchetinsky E. A., Nikodimov I. D. International cooperation in Barents-region. – M.: Severizdat, 2007. Goldfein M.D., Kozhevnikov N.V., ...

The Council of the Barents Euro-Arctic Region (BEAC or BEAR) is an organization of international and interregional cooperation that has been operating since 1993, which includes Russia, Norway, Finland and Sweden. In 2015-2017, the Russian Federation chairs the BEAC at the national level.

The BEAC is an important platform in the Russian Federation for international and interregional cooperation in the field of culture of the countries of the Barents region, which for a long time has been a dynamically developing territory with a rich natural and cultural heritage, with an undeniable variety of traditions and a unique way of life of indigenous peoples. Culture is one of the most powerful mechanisms for solving social, economic, environmental and other urgent problems in the interests of the sustainable development of the Barents region. International cooperation in the field of culture contributes to the development of intercultural communication, ensuring access of the population to the cultural values ​​of other countries, and also opens up the widest prospects for self-identification of representatives of various ethnic groups living in the region, for the preservation of traditions and the formation of social memory.

“In April 2014, at a meeting of the Joint Working Group on Culture (JWG) of the BEAC, a strategy for cultural cooperation in the Barents region was approved, which determined the main directions of interaction between the regions for the period up to 2018,- reminds the Deputy Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation Alla Manilova. – The goals of the strategy are to further develop cultural cooperation and enhance the role of culture in the Barents region. According to the strategy, the activities of partners in the region are aimed at developing network cooperation between artists, cultural institutions, as well as their interaction with regional public organizations, promoting cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue, expanding educational programs in the field of culture, which, among other things, contribute to capacity building youth and opportunities for new generations”.

One of the most important tasks of the ORGC strategy is to strengthen the role of culture in regional socio-economic development, including in the development of creative creative industries. Undoubtedly, the development of an exchange program in the field of culture and art and the promotion of information exchange using modern technologies create new opportunities for intercultural dialogue. The regions of Russia are actively involved in their positioning as international cultural centers of the Barents region, through work within the framework of the ORGC of the Barents Euro-Arctic region for culture. Such work at the local and regional levels forms the basis for successful cooperation between the BEAC member states at the national level, which resulted in the development of a provision on scholarships for cultural figures who have achieved significant results in the field of interregional cultural cooperation in the BEAC space. Four scholarships will be awarded every two years, one to each of the four countries in the Barents region.

By the way, thanks to the well-established cooperation between the regional authorities in the field of culture of the BEAC, the partnership of the regions has recently been marked by striking cultural events. Touring projects in the field of theater and music, information and cultural events, museum exhibitions, projects in the field of librarianship and, of course, the activities of public organizations, as well as cultural activists and institutions - all this forms a dense outline of cultural interaction in the BEAC space. Particular attention should be paid to the participation of Russian and foreign regions in especially significant cultural forums, such as the Russian-Finnish Cultural Forum, which has been held annually since 2000, that is, for almost 17 years, and is the main platform for bilateral cooperation between Russia and Finland in the field of culture. In turn, the Russian-Norwegian Cultural Forum contributes to the creation of prerequisites for successful cooperation and the implementation of joint projects at the regional level.

During its leadership of the council, the Russian Federation strives to preserve the Barents Euro-Arctic region as a zone of trust and stability, reliably protected from political fluctuations. The main task of Russia's chairmanship in the BEAC is to further promote sustainable socio-economic development of the Barents region, create a modern infrastructure here, increase the competitiveness and investment attractiveness of the region with the rational use of its scientific, innovative and resource potential. Ultimately, it is about improving the quality of life of the people living here. It is important that the implementation of this goal is carried out while observing the necessary environmental standards and taking into account the interests of indigenous peoples.

“In determining the priorities of Russia's chairmanship in the BEAC,- says Sergey Petrovich, Chairman of the Committee of Senior Officials of the BEAC and Deputy Director of the Second European Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. - We were guided both by the principle of continuity in the experience of previous chairmanships and by an understanding of the pressing problems of the region. In this regard, we have focused on topics such as transport and logistics, environment and climate, culture and tourism. They fully meet the needs of the region and enjoy the support of other participants in the Barents Cooperation.”

Each of the priorities is reinforced by the corresponding ministerial meeting. Such an approach gives the Russian chairmanship an applied and result-oriented character.

In November 2015, in the city of Sortavala (Republic of Karelia), a meeting of the Ministers of Environmental Protection of the BEAC member countries was successfully held, during which it was decided to exclude three more environmental "hot spots" of the Barents Region from the corresponding list. Thus, by now, nine out of forty-two "hot spots" have already been eliminated in the north-west of Russia, and work in this direction will continue. (note environmental "hot spots" - the most acute environmental problems identified in the Barents Euro-Arctic region by the Nordic Financial Environmental Corporation (NEFCO) and Russian experts in 2003).

During the meeting of the Ministers of Transport of the BEAC member countries held in Arkhangelsk in June this year, significant progress was made in agreeing on a joint transport plan for the Barents Region, which provides for the formation of 16 efficient, safe and sustainable cross-border corridors using rail, road and sea communications. . All of these routes pass through the territory of the Russian Federation. It is also planned to develop air traffic in the Barents region along the east-west line.

Cooperation in the sphere of culture is one of the central themes of the Russian presidency. It is culture that is the key to understanding national characteristics, the mentality of a particular people, it is a kind of bridge for mutual rapprochement, establishing contacts between people. It is assumed that the development of cultural exchanges will help strengthen the concept of the Barents identity: further awareness of the countries of the region of their historical community and belonging to a single socio-cultural space. In October 2015, a meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs was held in the Finnish city of Oulu, which emphasized the central role of interaction in the field of culture, the promotion of the Barents identity and the development of contacts between civil society and cultural institutions. The document also praised the dedicated work to establish the Barents Cultural Scholarship and noted the launch of a new project, the Barents Incubator for Cultural Initiatives, which supports the organization of events and the development of projects in the field of culture.

Another important direction of Russia's chairmanship in the BEAC is the implementation of projects in the tourism sector, which can give impetus to the development of the northern territories by attracting additional investment and creating new jobs. Of course, in the context of the promotion of Arctic tourism, its relationship with the development of the transport and logistics structure is important. In this regard, there are good prospects for the development of ferry tourism in the region. The decision taken by the Russian government in July this year to introduce a 72-hour visa-free regime for cruise ship passengers in Murmansk and Arkhangelsk will give an additional impetus to the Barents cooperation in the tourism sector.

• This concept became widely known after 1993, when the member countries of the Barents Region came to understand the need for cooperation in the fields of culture, industry, health, agriculture, nature conservation and the strengthening of indigenous communities.

• The Euro-Arctic region includes territories located north of the Arctic Circle or crossed by it. It includes: Norway (provinces of Nordland, Troms, Finnmark), Sweden (Norrbotten, Västerbotten), Finland (unions for the development of the communes of Lapland, Kainuu and Northern Ostrobothnia) and regions of Russia: Murmansk region, Arkhangelsk region, Nenets Autonomous Okrug (Russia), Republic of Karelia (Russia) and Republic of Komi (Russia).

• The Barents region has a long coastline along the Norwegian, Barents, White Seas and the Gulf of Bothnia of the Baltic Sea. The relief of the region is very diverse. In the west and northwest - in Norway, Sweden and the Kola Peninsula are mountainous areas. In the east and southeast, the terrain is more flat. In Russia and Finland, forests and swamps are widespread, in the Nenets Okrug - flat arctic and subarctic tundra, where permafrost prevails.

• The climate of the region is much milder than it should be in northern latitudes, thanks to the warm North Atlantic Current. To the east it becomes more and more severe. The Barents region has a relatively small number of flora and fauna species, which is common in the Arctic. But the number of individual species here can be very high.

• The Barents Region is home to about 4.4 million people and is the most densely populated region in the Arctic. Indigenous peoples live here - the Sami, whose life is still closely connected with nature.

• At the regional level, the supreme body of the organization is the Regional Council, which consists of political or administrative leaders of each of the regions (republics, counties, fiefs). Additionally, it includes a representative of the indigenous peoples of each region. The chairman is elected for 3 years, the chairmanship is carried out by each country in turn.

• The current work is managed by the Regional Committee, which is composed of appointed advisers from all administrative divisions of the region.

• The priority areas for the development of the region are:

1) ecology,

2) economy and industry,

3) transport and communication,

4) culture,

5) education and science,

6) Indigenous issues,

7) agriculture, reindeer breeding,

8) issues of the women's movement,

9) healthcare.

• Working groups are being created in these areas. They are designed to search for relevant specific projects to be included in the Barents Action Programme. Working groups are not permanent bodies, they can be dissolved as problems are solved or created if necessary.

• More than 100 different projects are being developed: in the field of higher education, science, communications (communications and transport), problems of indigenous peoples, the ecological state of nature (primarily nuclear safety), and the economy of the region.

• The priority projects include the following:

1) reconstruction of the Pechenganickel plant. An agreement has already been signed on joint financing with Norway of works aimed at resource-saving technologies and environmental protection at the plant;

2) Northern seaport in Liinakhamari Bay. It is here that it is planned to build a gas pipeline from the Shtokman field. The port will be primarily an oil loading terminal serving pipelines from oil and gas fields in the Barents Sea;

3) creation of the Murmansk transport corridor. We are talking about the Murmansk-Nikel-Kirkenes railway, which is planned to transport iron ore from the Olenegorsk deposit to the metallurgical plants in Norway. In addition to this road, it is planned to build a branch between the Finnish city of Salla and the Russian village of Alakurtti. Much attention is paid to the development of air traffic on the route Lulea (Sweden) - Rovaniemi, city (Finland) - Murmansk - Arkhangelsk. It is planned to modernize the airports in Petrozavodsk, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk;

4) a major project is being implemented to process liquid radioactive waste from the nuclear fleet;

5) scientific and general educational programs are being actively implemented, for example, the Barents Faculty has been created at the Murmansk Pedagogical University, student exchanges are being carried out;

6) Russian and Finnish firms have begun joint work on the reconstruction of the television center in Murmansk;

7) with the participation of Norway, technical measures are being taken to improve the safety of the Kola nuclear power plant;

8) a unified computer system for processing external cargo within the Barents region is being created, in which Norwegian companies and JSC "