Applications are reviewed by the technical Evaluation Committee and then – by the competent Jury. All applications are rated on the following criteria: the impact and effectiveness of the initiative, its learning potential for other local governments, its innovation or creativity, sustainability for the future, and the degree of difficulty faced by those involved in the initiative.

The International Forum of People's Diplomacy "Dialogue on the Volga" fits many of the requirements above!

Its organizers see friendship and mutual understanding between cities' residents as a guarantee of peace and security on the planet, and believe that intercity contacts and twin-town relations must remain above politics. Therefore, the Forum aims to:

- cement cooperation,

- promote peaceful and safe development of peoples and nations,

- expand international civil links and increase external openness enabling the international community to work more effectively towards the resolution of global and regional problems.

Before the pandemic, the Forum would feature a maximum of 10 events. In 2021, it had about 30 events under its aegis: round tables, discussions, conferences, a plenary session, call-in show, online quiz. As the number of the Forum's platforms grows, so does that of the topics discussed and the questions raised, of the participants and listeners involved.

The number of countries represented by the Forum's experts is, too, expanding continuously. In 2016, there were 12 of them, whereas in 2021 – already 26. This makes it easier to establish new contacts and widen international and intercity links.

Finally, if in 2016, there were 5 stakeholders working on the Forum, in 2021 there were 13. When international and intercity organizations work on the Forum together, international cooperation is strengthened, and external openness is increased.

The results will be announced very soon: the Jury is supposed to announce its verdict in the end of May – the beginning of June.