The National Centre in faces: young tour guide Yelisei Sizov

---

The young tour guide of the National Centre RUSSIA, Yelisei Sizov, conducts tours for both adult and children's groups. He is 13 years old and studies at the School of Young Tour Guides. His interest in this field was inspired by his grandmother’s example.

 "My grandmother worked at the International RUSSIA EXPO at VDNH. Later, she was invited to join the ranks of tour guides at the National Centre RUSSIA, where only the most knowledgeable guides were selected. And my grandmother was no exception. After that, the School of Young Tour Guides was established, and they invited children who would take on the role of senior guides among the younger ones. We provided tours of the exposition 'Legacy for the Future,' where we spoke about paintings, books, our country’s achievements, and the space created by the Movement of the First. I still attend the School of Young Tour Guides and continue to learn a lot of new things," says Yelisei Sizov.

According to the young tour guide, the youngest visitors to the expositions absorb information with great interest when it is presented by their peers.

"I think that when you're a child yourself and you're talking to listeners your age or younger, you can always find common ground with them. Adults can be a bit stricter with children; they don't like it when young visitors, for example, make noise. But for us, as fellow kids, that's normal, and we see the visitors as equals while still maintaining discipline. That's why I enjoy giving tours to children, sometimes even making them a bit easier so they have fun. It's nice to see their engaged faces and how they are already falling in love with our country," shares the young guide.

According to Yelisei Sizov, the School of Young Tour Guides is a unique project. During classes, guides not only study different tour formats but also learn about the emotions best suited for various situations. The young tour guide admitted that he enjoys lectures and happily attends the school's lessons.

"When you talk about your region’s contribution to the country’s common cause — whether it’s local nature, national cuisine, or advanced technologies — it always brings a sense of pride," said Yelisei Sizov.

The young tour guide leads groups through the exposition "Journey Across Russia." During his tours, he also highlights his homeland — the Volga Federal District, which is represented at the exposition alongside all other federal districts of the country.

"The city of Tolyatti is unique for its nature. It is also a remarkable industrial city, where the most wonderful river, the Volga, flows. It is home to the incredible Zhiguli Mountains, which were formed from a prehistoric sea. The LADA factory was established there, and new cars are still being built there today. Even the President, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, visited the factory and saw how the new cars are assembled. Additionally, the city produces unmanned aerial vehicles, which greatly benefit our country," the tour guide said about his homeland.

Yelisei considers his most memorable journey across Russia to be his trip to Crimea. He noted that annual sea voyages have already become a family tradition for the Sizov family.