Why art is an act of service: actor Yegor Beroev speaks at the National Centre RUSSIA branch in Yugra
The National Centre RUSSIA branch in Yugra hosted a creative meeting with theatre and film actor, director and lecturer for the Russian society Znanie, Yegor Beroev. Together with participants of the All-Russian Civil Society Development Forum "Dobrino", he discussed not only cinema and the acting profession but also charity, volunteering, civic engagement and the personal responsibility of every individual.
"The primary mission of a creative person is to serve others, not themselves. Not to build a house or buy a car, but to benefit people. That is what service truly means," Yegor Beroev said.
The central theme of the meeting was art as a form of service to society. According to the actor, a profession cannot be separated from the individual, their values and their willingness to contribute to the lives of others. For many years, Yegor Beroev has supported people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and believes that society needs not only those receiving support but also the professionals who work alongside them.
"By communicating with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, we ourselves begin to treat one another differently. They require a little more kindness, a little more attention and a little more warmth. We leave those encounters changed," he said.
According to Yegor Beroev, volunteers remain one of the driving forces behind social change. "People who possess this instinct to care are truly remarkable. Volunteers really do change the world."
During the meeting, forum participants asked questions about cinema, education, mentors, civic engagement and personal experience. One of the questions focused on what shapes a person's path in life. Yegor Beroev recalled advice from his grandfather that, he said, influenced many of his life's decisions.
"He always told me: 'When you see someone everyone else avoids, be the first to approach them.' I believe that taught me not to remain indifferent to the fate of my country, my people and those around me," the actor recalled.
He also addressed the importance of language and attitudes towards others, noting that it is important not only to help people but also to choose words that bring them together."In the beginning was the Word. I much prefer the word 'integration' to 'inclusion.' And instead of 'tolerance,' I choose 'acceptance.' Because it is acceptance that truly brings people closer to one another."
When asked what qualities define the leader of a modern social project, the actor said that throughout his career he had always focused not on scale but on people. "It is essential to know how to speak with people and explain what you want to achieve. Not everything can be measured in money. So much is built on trust and partnership."
The meeting concluded with reflections on the importance of paying attention—to people, to one's work and to the world around us. Addressing the forum participants, Beroev summed up the discussion with words that became its defining message.
"Love is attention. If you love a person, you pay attention to what surrounds them. If you love your work, you pay attention to the details. If you love your country, you pay attention to what you can do for it. Too often we lose that attention because it disappears into a screen. Yet it is precisely that attention that makes us truly alive when we are together."
The All-Russian Civil Society Development Forum "Dobrino", organised as part of the Rosmolodezh.Forums platform, is taking place at the National Centre RUSSIA branch in Yugra from 1 to 14 July. The forum has brought together 500 participants from across Russia and several other countries. The event is held as part of the national project "Youth and Children." The organisers include the Government of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra, the Civil Society Development Academy "Dobrino", the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), the Dobro.rf Association and the Yugra Youth Centre.
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