Penza, 16 September 2017. PenzaNews. Urban Communities Forum, which united leaders of non-commercial organizations, different informal associations, civic activists and journalists, started at the premises of the roller rink of the park Olimpiysky in Penza on Saturday, September 16.

© PenzaNewsBuy the photo

The theme of the event in 2017 was "What is good and what is bad. In the city".

Oleg Sharipkov, executive director of the community foundation “Civil Union”, reminded to those present that the forum was conducted for the fourth time.

He stressed that in 2015 after the event many ideas had been formed which were implemented in Penza at that time.

"Such ideas are the music festival ‘Jazz May’, for example, or the intellectual park 'Academia'," Oleg Sharipkov explained.

He also noted that he was pleased to see all forum participants and drew attention to a large number of new persons among those who came to the event.

Then, a guest from Perm – the head of the centre Grani, member of the expert council for issues of state administration system improvement under the government commission of the Russian Federation on the administrative reform Svetlana Makovetskaya turned to those present. She gave a motivational speech, which touched upon the issues of modern cities, their improvement and development strategy.

During the day, it was planned to conduct different games, lectures, and trainings that dealt with activity of non-commercial organizations, work with sponsors and development of city communities.

The final event was scheduled for 17.00. The participants and the head of the project intellectual park "Academia" Darya Trishina were expected to sum up the results of the forum.