Event digest: weekly highlights at the National Centre RUSSIA
The annual
All-Russian rally "Ambassadors of Victory," the celebration of the
Great Victory, and other events of the week — in our digest.
May 6. The opening ceremony of the annual All-Russian rally "Ambassadors of Victory" took place
The
ceremony marked the launch of the programme, under which 200 volunteers —
winners of a nationwide competition from various regions of Russia — arrived in
Moscow to take part in organising the Victory Parade on Red Square, as well as
other commemorative events.
In 2025, the
"Ambassadors of Victory" rally was of particular importance due to
the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic
War of 1941–1945. One of the key missions of the gathering is to engage
citizens in the organisation of events aimed at preserving the memory of the
Great Patriotic War.
Head of the
Presidential Directorate for Social Projects Sergei Novikov read out a welcome
address from the President of the Russian Federation to the participants of the
gathering’s opening ceremony.
"Dear
friends, I welcome you to the All-Russian rally 'Ambassadors of Victory',
Moscow. You, the winners of the annual competition, have been given the great
honour of taking part in the organisation and conduct of the anniversary
Victory Parade and other festive events. I know that each of you has made a
significant contribution to the development of the volunteering tradition in
our country, to the implementation of important initiatives aimed at preserving
the memory of the Great Patriotic War, supporting veterans, participants of the
special military operation and their families, and has done much for the
patriotic education of children and youth. Your responsible civic stance
deserves deep respect and recognition. I am confident that this event will be
held at a high level and will contribute to the development of the All-Russian
public movement 'Volunteers of Victory.' I wish you success and congratulate
you on the upcoming Day of the Great Victory!" — said Head of the
Presidential Directorate for Social Projects Sergei Novikov, conveying the
President’s greetings.
He added
that the highest mission of volunteers lies in preserving the memory of the
hardships and heroism of the Great Patriotic War and the values of Victory.
Veterans of
the Great Patriotic War and participants of the special military operation were
among the guests of the ceremony. The audience rose to their feet and greeted
them with applause.
The event,
dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, was presented by
students of the Moscow State Linguistic University (MSLU) with the support of
the Russian-Austrian forum "Sochi Dialogue" and the National Centre
RUSSIA. A distinctive feature of the production was the simultaneous
interpretation from English, German and French.
"We
have gathered for a very fitting reason and in the right place — the National
Centre RUSSIA, a centre of Russian national identity, for which the idea of
justice is fundamental. And it was precisely the restoration of justice that
the Nuremberg Trials, held according to all the rules of international legal
proceedings, aimed to achieve. Many things were done there for the first time,
including the use of simultaneous interpretation. It is symbolic that the idea
for this performance came from MSLU, which trains worthy successors to the
distinguished tradition of Russian simultaneous interpretation — a tradition
that, in fact, began at the Nuremberg Trials. The fact that these students
remember history and pay tribute to those who achieved victory is extremely
important," said Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the
Russian Federation Konstantin Mogilevsky.
The
National Centre RUSSIA and the Russian-Austrian forum "Sochi
Dialogue" pay special attention to projects that remind us of the
importance of historical truth and the price paid by generations for freedom
and justice. That is why, on the eve of the anniversary of the Great Victory,
the performance took on particular significance. It transported the audience to
the very heart of historical events — Hall No. 600 of the Palace of Justice in
Nuremberg, where the landmark sessions of the international tribunal took
place.
To create a
fully immersive atmosphere, the creators of the production used unique archival
materials: footage from newsreels, fragments of historical films, and authentic
documents from the Nuremberg Trials.
Young visitors of "The Birth of Scale" exposition created architectural forms
The
educational programme of the architectural exposition "The Birth of
Scale" continued with a children's workshop titled "Spatial
Structures: In the Footsteps of Shukhov and Fuller." The engaging journey
into the world of outstanding engineers was led by teachers from the
Moscow-based Young Architects’ School "Slonopotam".
The elegant
hyperboloid towers of Vladimir Shukhov and the famous geodesic domes of
Buckminster Fuller served as inspiration for the workshop participants. The
process of creating lightweight and creative structures from simple building
materials delighted the young attendees.
One can
take part in a guided tour of "The Birth of Scale" exposition and
attend workshops within the educational programme "Children’s
Architectural Studios" free of charge, by registering in advance on the
website of the National Centre RUSSIA at russia.ru. Current information about
the workshops is available in the "Events" section.
Guests of
the Gastronomic space "A Journey Across Russia. Food" listened to
wartime melodies in modern arrangements. The concert was held as part of the
Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, declared by the President of the
Russian Federation Vladimir Putin in 2025. The stage featured performances by the
cover band "KRAVA" and the Russian folk song ensemble
"Razgulyay."
Songs from
the war years, Russian folk songs, and beloved wartime compositions in
contemporary arrangements were performed, including "Blue Scarf,"
"Katyusha," "Victory Day," "Smuglyanka,"
"Oh, the Red Snowball Tree is Blooming," "I'll Step Outside and
Look at the Village," and many others. The audience applauded the
performers and joined in the dance programme.
During the
intermissions, guests of the National Centre RUSSIA enjoyed dishes from various
Russian regions at the Gastronomic rows.
May 8.
President of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik met with Russian schoolchildren and students
The event
took place during the statesman's visit to Moscow for the Victory Parade. The
lecture was organised by the Russian society Znanie. Milorad Dodik spoke about
the significance of Victory Day in world history, discussed Russian-Serbian
relations with the students, and shared his views on the prospects of a
multipolar world.
The head of
Republika Srpska spoke about the contribution of his compatriots to the Victory
over Nazi Germany and about the impact the Second World War had on the
self-awareness of the Serbian people.
"On
Victory Day, we in Republika Srpska lay wreaths and flowers at memorials and
visit mass graves every year. When the 'Immortal Regiment' campaign appeared in
Russia, our people also embraced it, and since then, every year people gather
with portraits of their relatives who suffered under fascism. Commemorative
lessons are held in schools. Fascism is a great evil that both Russia and
Serbia suffered from, and although the percentage of Serbs is smaller, our
suffering was the same — in this, we are alike," said Milorad Dodik.
In response to students’ questions, Milorad Dodik spoke about his vision of the future of Europe and the world, about how Republika Srpska manages to pursue an independent policy and withstand immense pressure from the collective West. He expressed confidence that Russophobia would be defeated and that the world would become multipolar thanks to Russia's efforts. At the end of the meeting, Milorad Dodik wished Russian schoolchildren and students to remain strong in defending the interests of their homeland and their people.
The lecture "Come and See: the Feat of Newsreel Cameramen in the Great Patriotic War" was held as part of the "Thursday. Development" project
On the eve
of the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory, the event presented the heroic
stories of newsreel cameramen who, risking their lives, captured wartime events
in the harshest and most dangerous conditions.
Through
music, rare photographs, and video footage, the audience felt the significance
of those events, experienced pride for their ancestors, and discovered a new
dimension of history.
May 9. The concert "Our Victory — For All Time!" gathered over 2,000 spectators
The grand
festive concert "Our Victory — For All Time!" at the National Centre
RUSSIA was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic
War.
The event
paid tribute to the heroes of wartime. That evening, in front of an audience
that included veterans of the Great Patriotic War, renowned artists and
ensembles performed wartime songs, compositions by contemporary authors, and
new creative collaborations created especially for this event.
Performers
on the stage of the National Centre RUSSIA included such well-known artists and
groups as Sergei Volchkov, Polina Gagarina, Olga Kormukhina, Alexander
Panayotov, ST, Alexei Petrukhin, Valentina Biryukova, Sergei Pavlovsky, Anna
Bolshova, the Choir of the Alexandrov Academic Ensemble of Song and Dance of
the Russian Army, the M. E. Pyatnitsky State Academic Russian Folk Choir, and
others.
May 10.
Concert of the Russian-Chinese Youth Choirs "Hand in Hand!"
The project
was dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War and
the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese
Aggression. It was organized by the Movement of the First, the All-China Youth
Federation, and the China’s Youth and Children’s Development Service Centre.
A combined
choir of 40 participants — 20 young vocalists from each country — performed on
stage. Russia was represented by the children's jazz choir Voices from Izhevsk
(participants aged 11–17) and the vocal ensemble UniVoice from Vladivostok
(aged 18–25), while the Chinese delegation included students from Shenyang
Conservatory of Music and the Shanghai Children’s Palace.
The
audience enjoyed 17 performances in Russian and Chinese, featuring patriotic
songs that highlighted heroic deeds across generations, cultural values, and love
for family and homeland. The concert was a heartfelt response to the past and a
way to honor the memory of wartime events.
"The
idea of creating a Chinese-Russian youth choir came to us in 2024. This project
carries special significance because it involves young people — those who will
shape the future of our countries. It is extremely important that the youth
know and remember our shared history, including the events of World War II, the
Great Patriotic War, and the Chinese people’s struggle against Japanese
invaders," said Shan Qiyue, Executive Director of the International
Department of the All-China Youth Federation.
May 11.
Creative meeting "Speak Like Rozhdestvensky"
The World
of Poetry series, part of the author’s project "Masterpieces. The Best of
Russia" by the National Centre RUSSIA, continued with the interactive
creative event "Speak Like Rozhdestvensky," which brought together
participants of all ages.
The event consisted of three parts. Denis Lizin, host of Radio 7 on Seven Hills and a member of the All-Russian movement "Inspirationists," delivered an original lecture titled "Rozhdestvensky and the 20th Century." Between the lecture segments, actor, teacher, representative of the Federal News Service, and member of the Moscow Union of Journalists Artyom Smirnov performed poems by Robert Rozhdestvensky, accompanied by music. During the interactive workshop "Speech Accents," speech expert, dubbing actress, and creator of the online project "Voice Can" Seda Kasparova spoke about the importance of vocal strength, timbre, clarity, intonation, and other vocal qualities for effective communication. She also demonstrated several techniques for shaping expressive and vivid speech — skills useful both for public speaking and in everyday life.
"Even
at home, we are essentially speaking publicly — so our speech should captivate
and help convey key ideas," noted Seda Kasparova.
