The conference in Salzburg was agreed at a meeting of the Sochi Dialogue Coordination Committee in Sochi on May 15 in the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Austrian President Alexander Van der Belen. Franz Schausberger, being a member of the Coordination Committee of the Sochi Dialogue, said that this meeting should give opportunities for strengthening cooperation between the regions of Russia and the federal states of Austria. The first conference  will take place within the framework of the 15th Conference of European Regions and Cities, such meetings could become an annual event of the Sochi Dialogue. Franz Schausberger pointed out that holding this event on the side of the European Regions and Cities is an award for the Institute of European Regions

The Sochi Dialogue is a Russian-Austrian platform created to strengthen ties between civil societies. Joint activities and projects were approved by the Coordination Committee and the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Russia and Austria. The most important topics of the Sochi dialogue are music, art, culture, research activities, economics and sports. On the Austrian side, projects are financed by the relevant ministries, local authorities and organizations, as well as sponsored funds.
The Sochi Dialogue was officially launched during the visit of President Vladimir Putin to Austria in the presence of President Alexander Van der Bellen in June 2018. A joint statement by Austrian Foreign Ministers Karin Kneissl and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was signed on March 12 in Moscow. The constituent meeting of the Coordination Committee took place on May 15, 2019 during the visit of Alexander Van der Bellen to Sochi.