On November 10–12, 2025, a regular joint meeting of the Council of Heads of State and Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Organizations of the CIS Member States (the Council) and the Administrative Council of the Interstate Information Pool of the Commonwealth Member States (IIP) was held in Sochi, Russian Federation.
The meeting was attended by authorized representatives of the Republic of Belarus, the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation, the Interstate Television and Radio Broadcasting Company "Mir," and the CIS Executive Committee. Representatives of the Republic of Armenia, the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Republic of Tajikistan participated via videoconference. Representative of Turkmenistan participated as observer.
CIS Secretary-General S.N. Lebedev sent a welcome address to the participants noting the relevance of the meeting in the context the global transformation affecting all spheres of life and the media space, as well as the uniqueness of the Council of Heads of Television and Radio Broadcasting Organizations of the CIS Member States as an effective platform within the Commonwealth for frank and constructive dialogue. He also expressed confidence that the event will generate new ideas and initiatives that will facilitate the integration of media projects between television and radio companies in the Commonwealth countries and the harmonization of the CIS information space.
The meeting was chaired by P.R. Fedorov, Chairman of the Council and Director of the International Relations Directorate of the Federal State Unitary Enterprise "All-Russian State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company" (VGTRK).
The agenda addressed a wide range of information exchange issues in television and radio broadcasting. Participants reviewed plans for media coverage of the CIS events and outlined prospects for expanding information support.
2026, declared the Year of Health in the Commonwealth, will be the main focus of future media projects for the Commonwealth countries television and radio organizations.
Together with the Mir International Television and Radio Broadcasting Company and the Interstate Information Pool they will provide information support to Turkmenistan, the next chair of the Commonwealth, and also to the CIS key humanitarian projects: "Meghri – the Cultural Capital of the Commonwealth," "Kapan – the Youth Capital of the CIS," "Almaty – the Sports Capital of the Commonwealth," as well as other priority events in the Commonwealth.
The CIS media services will not ignore the most important event to be celebrated in December 2026 – the 35th anniversary of the Commonwealth of Independent States. They plan to prepare and broadcast television programs and documentaries dedicated to the 35th jubilee, as well as to organize comprehensive coverage and information support for the 2026 events in their countries, actively exchanging video materials through the IIP.
At the meeting, Council members assessed the coverage results of the 2025 topics: the Republic of Tajikistan's chairmanship of the CIS, the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War – the Year of Peace and Unity in the Fight against Nazism, and the projects "Lachin – Cultural Capital of the Commonwealth," "Gabala – Youth Capital of the CIS," and "Ganja – Sports Capital of the Commonwealth."
The Victory Day anniversary provided an excellent opportunity to create projects that united the television and radio organizations of our countries, as Victory Day, without exaggeration, remains a sacred holiday for our peoples, and the memory of the Great Victory remains a vital unifying and rallying point across the CIS.
The participants discussed the current and perspective projects initiated by the Council, including updating the Regulations on the Council of Heads of State and Public Television and Radio Organizations of the CIS Member States and the establishment of the "Excellent Television and Radio Broadcaster of the Commonwealth of Independent States" award.
Vladimir Kazarezov, Coordinator of the Interstate Information Pool of the CIS Member States and Deputy Chairman of the Mir International Television and Radio Broadcasting Company, delivered a detailed report on the work of the Interstate Information Pool of Television and Radio Organizations of the CIS Countries. He also presented the "Tree of Friendship" gold medal to representatives of Belarus, Russia, and Turkmenistan.
For reference: The "Tree of Friendship" medal was established by the Council of the CIS Interparliamentary Assembly and the Mir International Television and Radio Broadcasting Company in 1999. It is awarded for significant contributions to the development of the information space of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the strengthening of interstate cooperation.
The Council Secretariat was also established in accordance with Section 4 of the updated Council Regulations. At the Council and IIP joint meeting, P.R. Fedorov was unanimously re-elected as Chairman of the Council of Heads of State and Public Television and Radio Broadcasting Organizations of the CIS Member States for another three-year term.
The Council members took part in a media meeting organized by the Russian video news agency Ruptly on the topic of cooperation between CIS countries in the field of video content exchange.
The meeting was held in a constructive atmosphere.
The next joint meeting of the Council of Heads of State and Public Television and Radio Organizations of the CIS Member States and the Administrative Council of the Interstate Information Pool of the CIS Member States will be held in 2026.