Dmitry Chernyshenko: millions of Russians are actively involved in the volunteer movement

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Volunteer Day is celebrated in Russia on 5 December. Millions of Russians are involved in this movement. Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Dmitry Chernyshenko congratulated everyone taking part in it.

"The volunteer movement in our country today involves millions of citizens. Over the past five years, the number of Russians engaged in volunteer work has increased more than threefold – from 10 to 32%. More than 9 million people have joined the Dobro.rf platform. As President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin says, the desire to help those in need has always been present throughout the history of our country and is passed down from generation to generation. Every day our volunteers prove that this is indeed the case. They are compassionate, responsible and kind people who have chosen to dedicate their lives to serving others," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

He recalled that the volunteer movement in Russia emerged during preparations for the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi. Across the country, 26 anchor universities were selected through a contest to host the first volunteer centres. The winning universities received diplomas presented by President of Russia Vladimir Putin.

"Everyone wishing to become a volunteer went through a demanding selection process, and during the Games our volunteers – a team of 25,000 – worked across 17 different areas, from welcoming delegations at the airport to assisting in the organisation of the Ceremonies," said Dmitry Chernyshenko.

He stressed that volunteers are always among the first to respond to the challenges of the time: "This was the case during the coronavirus pandemic, and after the start of the special military operation, when they demonstrated true patriotism and civic responsibility, supporting our Heroes on the front line, their families, the people of Donbass, Novorossiya, and the border regions."

The Deputy Prime Minister noted that President of Russia Vladimir Putin has repeatedly emphasised that the volunteer movement in Russia will continue to develop: "Across the country, new volunteer centres and #WEARETOGETHER hubs are regularly opening, educational programmes for volunteers have been launched, and state support measures are being strengthened, including through the national project 'Youth and Children'."

Dmitry Chernyshenko wished volunteers good health, boundless energy, success in their noble work and as many like-minded people as possible.