On 5 March a reception was held in the Center-invest Bank Directors’ Club for the German Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Rüdiger von Fritsch, accompanied by his wife and a delegation from the Russian-German Chamber of Commerce. Also present were business and local government representatives from the Rostov Region.

The attendees stressed the importance of building on the traditions of economic cooperation between Russia and Germany. To support the diplomatic efforts of the “Normandy Four” to maintain peace and implement the Minsk Agreements, German and Russian business people proposed that a “Norman Format” summer camp be held for young people from Ukraine, Russia, France and Germany at a Don River holiday resort.

The business people confirmed that they would be willing not only to sponsor such a project, but also to share with the younger generation their own knowledge and experience of developing international links and localising best international practice pertaining to small business, the implementation of energy efficiency projects, and the introduction of new banking technologies.