OREANDA-NEWS. On 02 June 2009 was announced, that Sergey Alexeev, president of the Russian Union of Exhibitions and Fairs, took part in the opening ceremony of the memorial tablet dedicated to the 180 th anniversary of the First Russian manufacturers exhibition.

The tablet was installed in the building of Zoological Museum; the very building specially constructed to host that first exhibition opened in May of 1829. Since that time our city has managed to remain the center for international economic and political contacts.

-Therefore I have been living in this city all my life I have never heard that this building could ever be used for some other purpose but a zoological museum, -confessed St. Petersburg vice-governor, Michael Oseevsky, at the opening ceremony.

- The first exhibition in St. Petersburg helped our city become one of the largest industrial centers not just for Russia and Europe but for the whole world. At present every working city citizen is somehow involved into the industrial sphere. And St. Petersburg keeps these exhibition traditions: every year it hosts “Russian Industrialist” and “St. Petersburg technical fair”; the events demonstrate excellent developing tendencies. A new industrial exhibition “innovation forum” has recently occurred. Soon our city will host two large world events: St. Petersburg Economic Forum and World Grain Forum.

- Karamzin, the greatest Russian historian, said “there is no future without the past”. I would like to thank professor Nikitin for the excellent idea to open this memorial tablet. The researches done upon the history of the First exhibition have proved that our city was the exhibitions capital, -emphasized Sergey Alexeev, president of the Russian union of Exhibitions and Fairs and director-general of JSC “Lenexpo”, at the opening ceremony.

- The present day situation reminds me of that old times when those significant events helped Russia become one of the richest world countries. And now our exhibitions help the country become one of the world leading economies.

The opening ceremony was also attended by Vladimir Katenev, deputy director of CSC “Expocenter” (Moscow) and Sergey Trofimov, president of “Restec” Exhibition Company. They also talked about the exhibitions contribution to the life of society and their importance for entrepreneurs as a possibility to share experience. The role of exhibition events in the development of St. Petersburg social and economy sphere is definitely growing; they have bright perspectives.