Event digest: weekly highlights at the National Centre RUSSIA

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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.

A stage performance titled "The Nuremberg Verdict: Lessons of History for the Present and the Future" was held

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.

May 7. The musical and patriotic evening "Music of Victory" dedicated to Victory Day in the Great Patriotic War took place

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.