Organising Committee announces winners of the sixth season of the #WEARETOGETHER Prize
On 10 November, a meeting of the Organising Committee of the International #WEARETOGETHER Prize was held in Moscow. Chaired by Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of Russia, and Tatyana Golikova, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia, the committee members reviewed the results of the application campaign, approved the winners of the Prize's sixth season and discussed support measures for the finalists. The award ceremony will take place from 2 to 5 December at the National Centre RUSSIA under the motto "Everyone can change the world around them".
The Organising Committee members highlighted the high level of public solidarity around the values promoted by the country's leading social projects award.
"Receiving 60,000 applications from 155 countries is impressive in itself. But, of course, quality matters more than quantity. When you look at the applications you realise that behind each of them are unique people and unique life stories, full of kindness, heart and soul. It is no coincidence that, according to the UN, 24–25% of people worldwide take part in a blood donation or volunteer initiative at least once a year, while in Russia the figure is 36%. This is significantly higher than in any other country in the world. This is particularly important for us in the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia, especially as the UN has declared 2026 the International Year of Volunteers. It is essential that our work with the winners does not end with the award ceremony. Each of them has a unique experience, and people join the volunteer movement through personal connections, from one heart to another. The example of people who care inspires others to follow suit," said Sergei Kiriyenko, First Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office of the Russian Federation and Co-Chair of the Organising Committee of the International #WEARETOGETHER Prize.
Over its six seasons, the #WEARETOGETHER Prize has become a global platform for recognising social initiatives. The international category grew by 34% this season, receiving 5,537 applications. Most came from applicants in Uzbekistan, Nigeria and India.
Among the Russian categories, "Volunteer of the Year" received the largest number of applications — 23,661. The "Mentor of the Year" category doubled in size, with 9,881 applications, while "Heroes of Our Time" led the "NGOs and Projects" category, receiving more than 6,000 applications. In addition, this year saw the introduction of a new special category, "The Power of Unity", established to mark the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia.
"Our volunteer movement has long extended beyond our country's borders and taken on an international dimension. Russian humanitarian assistance is in demand around the world. The international humanitarian volunteer programme named "Mission Dobro" has been operating since 2021. During this time, our volunteers have carried out 58 humanitarian missions, providing assistance to more than 20,000 people. We started with 11 missions, while in 2026 the programme already covers 20 countries. At the end of last year, the Government of Russia approved the Concept for Promoting the Development of Volunteer Activities through to 2030, and its implementation plan is now being put into practice across all regions of the country. It provides for updated volunteer support programmes and a system of incentives for the most active volunteers. Today, we can see that volunteering has become an integral part of life in municipalities. This is about more than simply taking part in the #WEARETOGETHER Prize: it is about concrete actions that transform our towns and villages and make our country a better place," said Tatyana Golikova, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia.
The meeting also reviewed the results of the public vote. Its weighting in the final assessment increased from 30% to 40%, with the finalists receiving a total of 1,093,248 votes. The national category was voted on via the MAX messenger, while, for the first time, the international category was voted on through the Dobro.org platform, which received 55,698 votes. Artificial intelligence was also used for the first time in the initial screening of applications, and project presentations were held online. As a result, 99 participants reached the final: 81 nominees from 35 Russian regions and 18 international projects from 16 countries.
Grigory Gurov, Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), presented the concept for the International Forum of Civil Participation #WEARETOGETHER, which will take place from 2 to 5 December at the National Centre RUSSIA under the motto "Everyone can change the world around them".
"Support for participants in the special military operation and their families, involving veterans in mentoring, and developing charity, the social economy and social projects more broadly — all these practices will be showcased at the International Forum of Civil Participation #WEARETOGETHER. It has become a traditional event for the volunteer community, bringing together an ever-growing number of people from around the world who are committed to helping others. This year, it will welcome 10,000 participants from every region of Russia and more than 40 countries. This year's central idea is the value of helping others and the changes it sets in motion. Through real-life stories, we will show how one good deed can change a person's life, and then transform the life of a city and a country. The key event of the forum will be the award ceremony for the winners of the sixth season of the Prize. The laureates will be announced on 3 and 5 December in Moscow, at the National Centre RUSSIA," Grigory Gurov said.
The forum's business programme will take the form of a "Think Tank Factory". Participants will be able to develop new solutions to help people and bring together the efforts of the state, businesses and the non-profit sector. The forum will also mark the launch of the Movement of the First's nationwide campaign " New Year Tree of Wishes". Outstanding volunteers will receive state and departmental awards, including the "Volunteer of Russia" badge.
The #WEARETOGETHER Prize is a project of the #WEARETOGETHER Movement, which brings together hundreds of thousands of people across the country who care about others. Since the start of the special military operation, volunteer centres have fulfilled nearly 700,000 requests from service personnel and their loved ones, while the total volume of humanitarian aid delivered has exceeded 190,000 tonnes. Over the past year, volunteers have helped respond to emergencies in 18 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, while the Movement is undergoing transformation in 15 pilot regions.
"We are looking for extraordinary people — leaders of social change. They are beacons for others. They do not wait for recognition; instead, their example inspires thousands of people. When times are difficult, they are the first to come to the aid of our defenders and their families, as well as people affected by disasters. That is why we invest so much in developing the #WEARETOGETHER Movement: to ensure that everyone who is ready to help has like-minded people and resources alongside them," said Artyom Metelev, Head of Dobro.ru.
The meeting also addressed support measures for finalists and award winners. Members of the Organising Committee will act as their mentors. They include Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Health of the Russian Federation; Maxim Dreval, Director General of the Russian society Znanie; Margarita Simonyan, Editor-in-Chief of RT; and Artur Orlov, Hero of Russia, graduate of the Time of Heroes presidential programme and Chairman of the Board of the Movement of the First.
The finalists are brought together in "MAYAK" ("lighthouse") clubs and receive training at the Dobrino Academy and the Senezh Management Workshop. Regional authorities have been advised to include them in public councils and chambers. In 2027, Rosmolodezh and Dobro.ru will develop a support programme for the regions that reach the final in the "Territory" category. The best practices will be shared through the strategic initiative "Good Deeds — A Way of Life".
The Organising Committee meeting was also attended by Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Health of the Russian Federation; Sergei Kravtsov, Minister of Education of the Russian Federation; Olga Petrova, Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation; Mikhail Kuznetsov, Head of the Executive Committee of the All-Russia People's Front; Alexander Shokhin, President of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs; Artur Orlov, Hero of Russia, graduate of the Time of Heroes presidential programme and Chairman of the Board of the Movement of the First; Konstantin Mayor, Director General of the MAER media holding; Alexandra Boldyreva, Executive Director of the Donors Forum Association of Grant-Making Organisations; and other experts.
The International Prize #WEARETOGETHER and the International Forum of Civil Participation #WEARETOGETHER are implemented as part of the national project "Youth and Children".
The music and dance parable "Khorovod. The Energy of Unity" will take place on 10, 11, and 12 November at the National Centre RUSSIA.
