In our turbulent times there is a growing awareness of threats to security at all levels of social life, and an evident need to find policy solutions to face old and new challenges. They include not only military security issues which are an integral part of the international political agenda and growing in importance in the XXI century conflict-stricken world, but also security challenges individuals and communities face in everyday life. Responding to the risks that societies encounter has now become the focus of attention of the academic and the political communities. These latter face challenges to effective governance at the international level; finding, evaluating and promoting effective responses to such issues is a priority for both experts and politicians.The concept of a community of a shared future for mankind promoted by China is in this sense a valuable and ambitious contribution towards promoting global governance and international cooperation. It encompasses both national and international development strategies as key dimensions of a strategic positive vision of the future. It can effectively raise awareness of the risks we face and of the possibilities we have or can acquire to respond to such risks. President Xi Jinping brought up this approach when he addressed students and staff at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (which is my alma mater) in spring 2013. The focus on development in the common interests of peoples and nations sharing a common destiny in a globalizing world is indeed of existential importance.National development models are of course diverse; this diversity rests on political culture traditions, on economic conditions and resources. The priorities people of a certain cultural tradition have and the identities they feel it is essential to ascertain in a rapidly changing cultural environment are no less important. The challenge for nations and for politicians who speak on their behalf is to agree over common priorities, to share common approaches and, most importantly, to promote effective mechanisms to reach the set goals. China’s experience in pursuing its own development model while integrating deeply into the international economic and political world order has been an inspiring example of such a vision.The consequences that the speed of change has for both community and individual security and well-being are aggravated by the depth of these changes. Social and technological transformations mark the emergence of a “risk society” (to use the brilliant term promoted by the German sociologist Ulrich Beck). In a rapidly transforming world order, policy responses at the international level often lag behind public demand; this produces uncertainties and stimulates the search for a new development paradigm that can provide answers to new global challenges, including such that we do not foresee at the moment. This is vividly evident in the changing discourse on migration and multiculturalism, in state policies and in relevant political action in the regulation of migration and migrants’ integration in different corners of the world.A substantial part of humanity does not see any place for itself in the existing world order, and exclusion is not only an economic issue. On the individual level this implies a threat to life and a permanent identity crisis. The long-term social contract based on market economy and the welfare state, guaranteeing freedom and human rights and toleration towards people of diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds is also facing severe challenges. Neither the market, nor the social policies and welfare institutions at our current disposal do not in their own right provide a balanced and consistent foundation for long-term development.An important priority here is a balanced identity politics approach. This implies (among others) taking practical measures to promote positive non-material values and responsible consumption. This in turn means focusing on education as a sphere where strategic visions and innovative practices can be swiftly integrated. The local level where policies are implemented and where results are conspicuous for quality of life at the individual and family level is an important focus here. We see networks of actors of various backgrounds - from academia to the state, from expert communities to those engaged in the educational process, from local communities to local authorities - as potential agenda setters for sustainable development. This presumes linking individual, community and state responsibility to accommodate interests, values and identities that are motivated by development issues. A new development paradigm encompasses a set of value-oriented guidelines that can appeal both to policymakers and to those who benefit from such policies.This is also important because so far irresponsible development has not experienced systemic limitations. Global climate change, pollution and waste disposal have become acute political issues. This agenda is widely discussed today, and sustainable development has acquired strong verbal support from politicians, businesses, international organizations and NGOs. On the other hand there is a growing awareness that sustainable development and economic growth can take different paths. So social inclusiveness, positive quality of life dynamics and a supportive social climate are key sustainability benchmarks.On the other hand, sustainability goes hand in hand with responsibility for the choice of priorities and for the means of their implementation. One does not go without the other. In this context we see a fundamental contradiction between the priorities of development and the imperatives of plausible and future-oriented answers that some among the actors who are responsible for the international development agenda are ready to take up and promote. This issue was considered in the Global Forecast for 2035 our Institute - the Primakov National Research Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences - has published some three years ago. We are now preparing a new global forecast for 2040, and it will be very important to look at the positive contributions of great powers such as Russia and China to promote sustainable future - oriented development policies. The Russian academic community sees the issues we are discussing today as a key research priority and as a solid basis for expert dialogue and cooperation.