The International Center for Wine and Gastronomy — Co-Organizer of the Bema! Awards

he International Center for Wine and Gastronomy acted as co-organizer and partner of the Bema! Awards, reaffirming the strategic role of gastrodiplomacy in the development of the modern events industry and the strengthening of international humanitarian ties.

The international industry forum and award in the field of event marketing and communications, Bema! (Best Experience Marketing Awards), is Russia’s leading platform in the events industry and creative economy. Established in 2017, the 2026 edition brought together more than 250 leading industry experts, representatives of Russia’s largest employers, and over 3,000 participants from more than 10 countries worldwide. The forum shapes the expert agenda for the development of creative industries and serves as an effective communication platform for cooperation between business and government.

The President of the International Center for Wine and Gastronomy, L.V. Gelibterman, served as a member of the award jury and co-moderator of the international session “The New Era of Events: Design, Humanity, and the Future of International Events.” The session focused on rethinking international events through the prism of the H2H (Human to Human) concept and gastrodiplomacy as a tool for trust-building, cultural dialogue, and sustainable international cooperation.

Speakers from Russia, Belarus, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Serbia, Tajikistan, the Philippines, and African countries took part in the discussion.