31 October - Day of 7 Billion

On 31 October, worldwide events will mark the world population reaching 7 Billion.

A world of 7 billion has implications for sustainability, urbanization, access to health services and youth empowerment. It is also an opportunity to renew global commitment for a healthy and sustainable world. 7 Billion Actions, a global movement for all humanity, was established by the United Nations Population Fund to highlight positive action by individuals and organizations and inspire others to join the movement.

In the frame of the "7 Billion Actions" campaign in Russia, on 31 October in 3 cities (St. Petersburg, Kaliningrad and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky) will be conducted symbolical celebration of the Day of 7 billion. It is planed that first babies born after midnight on 31 October in these cities and their parents will be awarded by the symbolic certificates of "Born on the Day of 7 billion” form UNFPA and by presents from regional and local administrations.

In addition, the Round Table discussion “Russia from East to West: Demographic portrait of the country” that will be held in Kaliningrad on 31 October.

The round table discussion will bring together government authorities, experts, journalists and members of the public, who will discuss challenges and opportunities in the world of 7 billion people, as well as demographic development, and demographic perspectives of Russia in the light of the National Census 2010 results.

Among the participants are the Governor of Kaliningrad region Nikolai Tsukanov, Chair of Kaliningrad regional Parliament Marina Orgeeva, Director of Rosstat’s Department on population statistics Olga Antonova, Director of the Center on population studies Valery Elizarov (Moscow State University), Kaliningrad regional ministers of health, economics, social policy, representatives of MoFA in Kaliningrad.

The Round table is the final activity of the joint initiative of UNFPA and the Russian Federal Statistics Service (Rosstat), that has been launched on 11 July, World Population Day, in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatski in the frame of the “7 billion actions” campaign in Russia. Taking into account a the broad extent of the Russian Federation, the idea was to start the initiative in Kamchatka, the most Eastern region of Russia, and to finish it on 31 October in Kaliningrad, the most Western part of the country.

This initiative is aiming to underline importance of using population data for policies and programmes to reduce poverty and to ensure that every pregnancy is wanted, every birth is safe, every young person is free of HIV/AIDS, and every girl and woman is treated with dignity and respect .