At the opening of the renovated City Garden in Omsk, participants of the IV Forum of Heads of Regions of the SCO countries laid a new alley

The planting of trees in the historical and cultural center of the city, which will only gain growth and strength over the years, symbolizes the desire to strengthen ties between the regions of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization member States. The Forum participants dedicated an alley to the Year of the Family, celebrated in the Russian Federation by decree of President Vladimir Putin. 

On September 18, the grand opening ceremony took place after the reconstruction of the city's iconic public space for the three-hundredth anniversary of Omsk. The history of the City Garden dates back to the 19th century. After the global renovation, this place still adorns the city, preserves the memory of many significant events, unites within its territory some of the most beautiful architectural monuments of Omsk - the Governor General's Building of the Museum named after M. A. Vrubel, St. Nicholas Cossack Cathedral. Nearby is the historical building of the Cadet Corps, the main stage of the region – the Philharmonic Concert Hall, the Museum of Local Lore and the Theater of the Young Spectator, the building of which is also experiencing a rebirth. The City Garden also houses a monument to Saints Peter and Fevronia of Murom, patrons of family and marriage in Orthodox culture.

The comprehensive landscaping of the City Garden was carried out in several stages under the federal program "Creating a comfortable urban environment" within the framework of the national project "Housing and Urban Environment" and completed in the Year of the Family. The renovated space will once again become a venue for city-wide celebrations and a favorite vacation spot for residents of Omsk.

The main event of the Forum's extensive cultural program was attended by representatives of the delegations of Belarus, the People's Republic of China, Kazakhstan, India, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Uzbekistan, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, and the Russian Federation. Vadim Golovko, Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative of the President of the Russian Federation in the Siberian Federal District, and Ivan Netskin, Chief Federal Inspector for the region, also attended the opening ceremony of the City Garden. 

The guests were greeted by the Governor of the Omsk region, Vitaly Khotsenko. 

"The Forum of heads of regions of the SCO countries, as well as the representative composition of the delegations of foreign states and Russian regions, is a great event for our city and for the Omsk region. We decided to do a good thing to coincide with this event – to give a second life to the City Garden and the Governor General's Square, and invite you to the opening. We wanted to show that Omsk is a very friendly and sunny city that loves visitors, loves to interact and make friends, go through life in step, and develop together. The city Garden has always been a favorite place of Omsk residents, and I am sure it will be so today. I propose that we open it together and plant an alley of coniferous trees dedicated to the Year of the Family, which is taking place in 2024 by the decision of our President. It will be symbolic to lay an alley leading to the monument to the patron saints of the family," said Vitaliy Khotsenko.

Together with the guests, the Governor of the Omsk region opened a city garden and laid out an alley. Each of the ten coniferous trees has a "nameplate" that indicates which country it was planted in. Now the alley of evergreen fir trees, laid by the participants of the Forum, symbolizes unity, common relationships and eternal friendship.