Russia's President Vladimir Putin is expected to speak before the forum participants.
As the congress' organising committee reported, representatives of 115 information services from 100 countries, including Russia, the USA, Great Britain, Germany, France, Japan and China, will participate in the forum.
The participants in the congress which is being held under the motto Information: Challenges of the 21st Century will discuss the new challenges launched to mankind in information-technological and geopolitical space. The list of the themes announced to be discussed at the forum includes objective coverage of the developments taking place in the world, ensurance of journalists' security in the world's "flash points", and use of the latest technologies in mass media. The representatives of the world information agencies will also consider such a global challenge to mankind as international terrorism - the theme of counteracting terrorism, including information terrorism, figures in the plan of the congress' work.
UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura will take part in the congress' work and will present his book UNESCO - a Factor of Hope at it.
The forum which is being held with the support of the UN, UNESCO and the governments of Russia and Moscow will finish working on Saturday.
