Love as a source of strength becomes the main theme of an Open Dialogue at the All-Russian Wedding Festival

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The Open Dialogue "Love as a Source of Strength: What Helps Preserve a Family in Times of Trial" was held at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the III All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts". Participants discussed how love, mutual support, trust and responsibility help families overcome life's difficulties, preserve their relationships and remain by each other's side despite the challenges they face.

The care and attention of loved ones are what make it possible to overcome any difficulties, recover and move forward, noted Olympic champion, two-time world champion, three-time European champion and Honoured Master of Sport of Russia Roman Kostomarov. According to him, he would not have been able to cope with rehabilitation on his own.

"What my wife went through was heroic. The words she said to me every day helped me learn to love life again. Her support brought light back into my life and showed me that I must not give up. Family is the strongest motivation, something that allows you to cope with any difficulty," Roman Kostomarov shared.

Olympic bronze medallist, world champion, two-time European champion and Honoured Master of Sport of Russia Oksana Domnina added: "The most important thing is to understand that we do not know what tomorrow will bring. We must enjoy every day together. And I always wanted to be by my husband's side."

A sense of closeness plays a special role in every family story, shared participants in the III All-Russian Wedding Festival Alyona Shatrova and Valentin Kucherenko. They spoke about how they met, their first feelings, their decision to start a family and how their lives changed after Valentin began his military service. This sense of closeness must be preserved despite any obstacles, the husband believes.

"We try to resolve all the difficulties we face only in person. Messages and phone calls do not provide complete mutual understanding. When we are together, hand in hand, any obstacles seem insignificant," the newlyweds said.

Love is not only a feeling that accompanies the happy moments of life, but also a force that helps people cope with the most difficult trials, noted journalist and television presenter Marina Kim, First Deputy Chair of the State Duma Committee on Information Policy, Information Technologies and Communications.

"We often talk about love in moments of happiness. But love's true strength is not revealed when things are easy. It is revealed when you have to wait. When you have to fight. When you have to stay by someone's side even when you are afraid," she emphasised.

The Open Dialogue was one of the key events in the business programme of the III All-Russian Wedding Festival "Russia. Uniting Hearts", which is being held at the National Centre RUSSIA. The festival brings together newlyweds, families, experts and public figures from across the country, reminding us that family, love and mutual support remain among the most important values of Russian society.