BRICS Forum Focuses On Traditional Values And Unity

Russian-Led BRICS Forum Highlights Culture, Family, and Ethical Business

On September 2, 2025, the Russian State Duma hosted a press conference outlining the Second BRICS Forum, “Traditional Values,” scheduled for September 15–17 in Brasília, Brazil. The Forum aims to position cultural and ethical norms as central pillars for cooperation among BRICS countries, highlighting family support, business ethics, and artificial intelligence regulation.

Dmitry Kuznetsov, State Duma deputy and Vice-President of the Forum, framed the discussion as a response to what he called the erosion of “traditional values” from public discourse. He emphasised that unifying moral principles such as compassion, solidarity, health, and future prosperity are as critical as economic or political collaboration. Literature and culture were cited as instruments to define these shared ideals.

The Forum will debut several initiatives: the BRICS Entrepreneurs’ Alliance, intended to foster trust-based, value-driven business communities; the International Union of BRICS Fathers, promoting responsible fatherhood and unified child protection standards; and a discussion platform for ethical regulation of artificial intelligence, addressing a perceived legislative gap across member nations. Organisers suggest these projects will strengthen social cohesion and national identity within the BRICS framework.

Critics may question whether such efforts extend beyond symbolic posturing. Will codifying “traditional values” influence tangible policy, or serve primarily as soft power signalling? Likewise, aligning entrepreneurial and family initiatives with cultural agendas raises questions about whose values are prioritised and how these measures intersect with human rights standards.

The Forum in Brasília will convene parliamentarians, entrepreneurs, cultural figures, and civil society representatives from BRICS and partner nations. Official program details and participant information are available at BRICS Forum official site.

Are these initiatives genuine steps toward multinational cooperation, or a calculated attempt to frame a cultural narrative favorable to certain geopolitical agendas? The Forum’s outcomes will reveal the answer.