Exhibitions – Opportunities – Markets
December 27, 2006
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The exhibitions projects organized by MVK were launched in stratosphere and continued at Eiffel Tower in France. Asked about what is within MVK’s further plans, Alexei Shaburov, Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Executive Vice President of the Exhibition Holding Company and author of the projects, answered boldly: “Other continents”.
National achievements and the exhibition business are closely inter-related – just like a system of mirrors reflecting one and the same image from widely dissimilar points of view. Put together, they magnify each other – thus serving to strengthen authority of the state.
Exhibitions have always been looked upon as demonstration of national achievements on the international level. MVK intends another role for its exhibitions – that of the shaping factor.
Essentially, MVK’s conceptual projects are its own exhibition activities evolved up to higher levels. By 2006, MVK’s business calendar contained 115 exhibitions; actually its business opportunities were wider. And their practical implementation was defying the stereotyped standards.
The debut project had a highly significant title: “Higher, and Higher, and Higher!” On September 8, the word “higher” was spectacularly applicable to the First Exhibition in Stratosphere, where, among other things, “Russian Furniture Stars” was on display. ÈË-78 re-fueling aircraft delivered the stand to 12-km altitude to retain it there for more than 20 minutes. That MVK project gathered together the leading Russian furniture brands, that is: MK “Shatura”, MK “Katiusha” (Diatkovo), 8th March Furniture Factory, Dobry Stil Group, etc. Valentin Zverev, President of Russian Association of Furniture Industries and Wood Working Industries, noted: “Taking part in such a project involves great responsibilities, and we are ready to make it obvious to everybody that our business is honest and open in its dealings, and that we feel all responsibilities for our work and making our own contributions into development of the national economy, into making our country more defense-capable and into improvement of Russian public self-consciousness”.
The exhibition served to unite the furniture manufacturers together, and the all-Russian level was imparted to the project by air flight performed on September 8 by Anatoly Kvochur, Hero of Russia and USSR Honored Test Pilot. The non-stop 14-hour air flight performed on board ÑÓ-30 aircraft “embraced” all of Russia. 15 thousand kilometers of route covered, 40 tons of fuel burned up… The air flight involved 5 re-fuelings made in the air. Air flight performed along Ramenskoe – Chkalov I. (Far East) – Ramenskoe route was dedicated to 70th Anniversary of another flight – the legendary flight performed by Valery Chkalov in 1936.
Coming back to Ramenskoe was crowned with an honor celebration for the heroes. They were met with welcoming speeches from Vladimir Mikhailov, Commander-in-Chief of Russian Air Force, Yuri Sentiurin, Russian State Duma Deputy, and all team of MVK, the air flight organizer.
Describing essential meaning of Higher, and Higher, and Higher! Project, Alexei Shaburov, Chairperson of the Board of Directors and Executive Vice President of MVK, explained that his purpose is “development of business in Russia through being united together”.
The air flight on board ÑÓ-30 aircraft, the furniture exhibition in stratosphere, the appeal to the heroic past of Russia and the patriotic mood of MVK were fully appreciated by Russian State Duma Federal Assembly and referred to as “a good example of the business and the state interests united together” and “revival of the earlier lost Russian patronage of arts traditions”. This is evidenced by honorary diploma signed by Boris Gryzlov, Chairperson of the State Duma, and delivered to Alexei Shaburov, author of the project.
After ÑÓ-30 air flight dedicated to the memory of Valery Chkalov, MVK organized an exhibition within State Duma offices. The exhibition displayed items borrowed from Valery Chkalov Museum, as well as the leading Russian exhibition brands and furniture brands.
The project was “top rated” by other State Duma Deputies, too: Gennady Raikov, Member of Security Committee and Chairperson of Russian Aviation and Cosmonautics Inter-Fraction Deputy Association, Alexei Sigutkin, First Deputy Chairperson of Security Committee, Airborne Troops Reserve Lieutenant General, Yuri Sentiurin, Deputy Chairperson of State Duma Committee for Power Industry, Transport and Communication, Oleg Utkin, Deputy Head of State Duma Staff, Vladimir Pekhtin, Deputy Chairperson of the State Duma, Andrei Loginov, Russian Government Plenipotentiary at the State Duma, and a number of other public figures.
Having attained the national level by its first project, MVK set another goal for itself: to advance itself into the international level. It is known that any growth in the number of foreign exhibitors promotes a better repute for the exhibition, new international contacts and acquaintance with advanced foreign technologies, which, in the long run, promotes better development of any industry sector concerned.
To make Russian exhibitions more attractive for foreign organizations, Exhibitions – Opportunities – Markets Project was developed. The hosting country was France. Eiffel Tower was the site for a conference, where more than 210 representatives of widely dissimilar French associations and unions were gathered together. Exhibition projects developed by more than 20 leading Russian exhibition companies were presented to the audience. The conference was successful, and a number of French associations approached the event organizers to discuss prospects for further cooperation.
The next project developed by MVK promises not only to bring attentions from European governments to exhibitions in Russia. This will be a huge-scale event embracing entire continents: Eurasia, North Pole and North America…
As summary of what is said above, it can be noted that air flight on board ÑÓ-30 brought Russian heroic deeds, past and present, to meet together, that the stratosphere-held exhibition gathered the best Russian furniture manufacturers, and that Eiffel Tower united Russian exhibition companies together. Furthermore, the business project happily coincided with the governmental interests, and business activities of MVK were entered into Russian Book of Records. The Russian exhibition business is developing confidently to shape Russian national image on the international level. And MVK is one of companies acting, vigorously, not only to promote a better development and transformation for the country, but also to build a better future for it.
From: Rossiyskaya Gazeta, December 27, 2006, No. 292
