The main goal of the symposium, which was set before the organizers, was to create an international platform for the exchange of the latest achievements of theoretical and technical research in the field of understanding soil pollution processes, mitigating the effects of pollution on the environment and human health, as well as, importantly, creating a special working atmosphere conducive to free communication between scientists, engineers, politicians and other stakeholders parties in the field of soil protection.

The large-scale geography of the participating countries, under the auspices of which scientists presented their scientific achievements at the seminar, is really amazing: Singapore, Israel, USA, Canada, China, Bangladesh, Kenya, Botswana, Poland, Germany, Finland, Australia and, of course, Russia. This indicates the seriousness of the problem of soil pollution all over the world and the deep understanding that soil is a non-renewable resource on which the sustainable development of all mankind depends.

Russia was represented by the largest group from the Southern Federal University, as one of the leading scientific schools of soil science in the country. The delegation included scientists led by the head of the Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Assessment of the Academy of Biology and Biotechnology D.I. Ivanovsky, Professor, Doctor of Biological Sciences Tatyana Minkina.

Tatyana Mikhailovna presented a report on the topic: "Soil pollution monitoring and mitigation" (Soil pollution monitoring and mitigation).

She not only presented the research results, but also joined the program committee of the symposium.

Tatiana Bauer, PhD, a leading researcher at the Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology for Improving Soil Fertility and Agricultural Product Quality, prepared a report on the topic: "Technologies for remediation of soils contaminated with PAHs" (Remediation technologies for soils contaminated with PAHs).

The head of the frontier laboratory "Bioengineering of the Rhizosphere", PhD Vishnu D. Rajput, made a presentation: "Nanobioengineering of the rhizospheric microbiome" (Nano-bioengineering of the rhizospheric microbiome).

Senior lecturer of the Department of Soil Science and Land Resources Assessment Inna Zamulina prepared a report: "Organic matter and soil physical properties under long-term pollution" (Organic matter and soil physical properties under long-term pollution).

The presented results were obtained within the framework of a joint project with Nanjing Agricultural University "Efficiency and mechanisms of PAH biodegradation and carbon sequestration in contaminated soils using immobilized synergistic microbiota", Agreement with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation No. 075-15-2023-587.

Within the framework of the conference, a bilateral meeting of representatives of the Southern Federal University (Russia) and Nanjing Agricultural University (China) was held, during which the implementation of research tasks on the joint project "Efficiency and mechanisms of PAH biodegradation and carbon sequestration in contaminated soils using immobilized synergistic microbiota", an agreement with the Ministry of Science and Higher Education was discussed RF No. 075-15-2023-587.

The Nanjing Symposium has become not only a place for scientific discussions, but also an important step in international cooperation, bringing together scientists and researchers working to ensure that the earth remains fertile and safe for future generations.