“Traditions are not born, they are created”, – has declared, George Luntovsky, First Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of the Russian Federation, opening the first International Watermark Security Printing Conference. Also has expressed his hope to hold such meetings on the regular basis. Today, when the Watermark conference-2005 has already become a history, we can positively state for sure that we laid the foundation of the tradition to hold such conferences in Russia that will unit the manufacturers and the customers of security products.
For three days the Baltic star hotel, that is situated on the territory of the National Palace of Congresses at Strelna (the suburb of Saint Petersburg), hosted the conference. The work was in full swing. In a conference hall one plenary session replaced another, on exhibition stands were crowded with lots of people, the details of the future contracts were discussed in the rooms for negotiations, and participants struck up an acquaintances during coffee – breaks.
The Watermark conference has collected about two hundred visitors from Russia, the Republics of Belarus, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, the Great Britain, Germany, the republic of South Africa, Egypt, Indonesia and other countries. The representatives of the Central Banks, the largest companies – manufacturers of protected production were among the participats. In fact that Watermark conference is focused first of all towards the Russian market and the markets of the countries CIS, organizers tried to invite the leading specialists worldwide to participate in it.
The concept every year all becomes wider than “protected production” – today protection require not only traditional banknotes, documents, securities, but many goods of daily use. This tendency has found reflection in subjects of reports of the conference: on plenary sessions were discussed also new technologies of protection of banknotes, and prospects of development of electronic documents, and ways of struggle against falsification of products, and opportunities for protection of brands.
Except for reports, meetings and negotiations, participants Watermark conference were waited with rather sated cultural program – in fact conference passed in one of the most beautiful cities of the world, moreover during the white nights …
A welcome cocktail in Konstantin’s Palace with the subsequent walk on palace park and coast of gulf of Finland; a trip along the rivers and channels – all over again on a gulf from Konstantin’s mooring of a palace up to a mooring on the English quay, and then on the rivers and channels of Petersburg; excursion to Petrodvorets, a supper in the Throne hall, start – specially for participants Watermark conference! – well-known Peterhof fountains…
During a supper rewarding sponsors and partners of conference has taken place – specially for this purpose kilogram silver commemorative medals have been rapped out.
Last action Watermark conference became excursion on Petersburg “Goznak” enterprises – a paper-mill and the Mint.
