120 thousand live flowers and an underwater ballet: what is being showcased at the SPIEF-2026

      At the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026, there is a stand styled after classical Greek architecture. The main element is a floral panel featuring an image of a swimmer in a cap with the Russian tricolor. The composition is made up of more than 120,000 live flowers—carnations and chrysanthemums of various shades, grown in Russia. About 120 florists participated in the work, and the assembly took more than 100 hours of continuous labor.

      The space of the stand is complemented by a video sequence that wraps around it. The screens feature footage of synchronized swimmers inspired by scenes from the ballets "Swan Lake," "Giselle," and "Don Quixote." Some elements were performed by the girls in ballet tutus and pointe shoes, combining the technique of synchronized swimming with the artistic images of classical ballet. Sixteen synchronized swimmers participated in the creation of the video, which utilized complex underwater filming.

      The exhibition is accompanied by a special issue of the magazine "Around the World," which celebrates its 165th anniversary this year. The issue is dedicated to the history and cultural code of water sports in Russia: swimming, diving, synchronized swimming, and water polo. The issue was created in collaboration with the Russian Federation of Water Sports and the media company "Shkulev Holding."

      The federation's sponsor is the company "Uralchem," for which sports remain one of the key areas of charitable and social activities.

      The stand continues the tradition: floral objects are created at the forum annually, and they invariably become noticeable points of attraction. On the last day of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum 2026, the flowers from the panel, as in previous years, will be given to the female visitors of the forum.