The opening of the "Ambassadors of Victory" rally took place at the National Centre RUSSIA
The
official opening ceremony of the annual All-Russian rally "Ambassadors of
Victory" took place at the National Centre RUSSIA on May 6. The ceremony
marked the beginning of a programme under which 200 volunteer winners of the
competition from different regions of Russia arrived in Moscow to assist during
the Victory Parade on Red Square, as well as other commemorative events. The
volunteers will support veterans, help visitors navigate the events, and handle
other organisational tasks.
In 2025,
the "Ambassadors of Victory" rally holds special significance as it
coincides with the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great
Patriotic War of 1941–1945. One of the key missions of the rally is to engage
citizens in organising events aimed at preserving the memory of the Great
Patriotic War.
Sergei
Novikov, Head of the Presidential Directorate for Social Projects of the
Russian Federation, read a welcome address from the President of the Russian
Federation to the participants of the Rally’s opening ceremony.
"Dear
friends, I welcome you to the All-Russian rally 'Ambassadors of Victory' in
Moscow. You, the winners of the annual competition, have been granted the high
honour of taking part in the organisation and implementation of the anniversary
Victory Parade and other festive events. I know that each of you has made a
meaningful contribution to the development of the volunteering tradition in our
country, to the implementation of vital initiatives aimed at preserving the
memory of the Great Patriotic War, supporting veterans, participants of the
special military operation, and their families. You have also done a great deal
for the patriotic upbringing 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 Victory Day!" — Sergei Novikov, Head of
the Presidential Directorate for Social Projects of the Russian Federation,
conveyed the words of the address.
He added
that the highest mission of the volunteers is to preserve the memory of the
hardships and heroism of the Great Patriotic War and the values of Victory.
"It is
important that you are organising work aimed at connecting generations: today
with us is Nikolai Konstantinovich Imchuk, and also Hero of Russia Andrei
Sergeyevich Mityashin, participant of the special military operation. I would
like to thank you for all the work you are doing now. This is not only about
supporting the Victory Parade and festive events — a great deal of work is
being carried out throughout the entire year," emphasised Sergei Novikov.
The
ceremony was attended by veterans of the Great Patriotic War and participants
of the special military operation, who were greeted with a standing ovation and
applause from the audience.
Young
participants of the rally were congratulated on the start of the festive
programme by Great Patriotic War veteran Nikolai Imchuk. He is 95 years old and
has been awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class, the medal "For
the Capture of Budapest," and the medal "For the Victory over Germany
in the Great Patriotic War."
"It is
an honour to congratulate you, the Volunteers of Victory, with all my heart!
Thank you for being here! You are capable of overcoming any difficulties and
making our lives bright and beautiful. I wish you great success in your
endeavour. We, the veterans, are leaving, but thanks to you, to your attitude
and the love you show us, we are still alive. Work as we fought on the front
lines. Be vigilant, attentive, and courteous. Thank you so much for the work
ahead of you!" — said Nikolai Imchuk in his address to the volunteers.
Encouraging
words to the volunteers were delivered by Hero of the Russian Federation Andrei
Mityashin.
"I
would like to congratulate everyone on the upcoming Victory Day and highlight
the work of the volunteers. Last year, I also took part in the Victory Parade
and saw everything myself. I saw your dedication, your commitment. And I want
to thank you for everything you do: for helping our veterans, for organising
such great events. You are doing an excellent job. Don't lower the bar — keep
growing!" said Andrei Mityashin.
Each of the
participants became part of the 2025 rally of the "Ambassadors of
Victory" volunteers for a reason, said Olga Zanko, Deputy Chair of the
State Duma Committee on the Development of Civil Society and Head of the
Central Headquarters of the All-Russian Public Movement "Volunteers of
Victory".
"Each
of you has followed your own path to be in this hall. Some waited seven years
until they turned 18 to apply for the 'Ambassadors of Victory' competition.
Some dreamed of helping organize the Parade on Red Square, just like their
great-grandfather did in 1945. Some, after being wounded, decided to contribute
to preserving the history of the Great Victory. The stories are so different,
but we have all come together in this hall. For 11 years, the Volunteers of
Victory have been helping organize the Victory Parade. When we started, just a
few dozen young people from various regions decided they couldn’t do otherwise
— and began taking care of veterans of the Great Patriotic War and preserving
the history of the Great Victory. And today, the Volunteers of Victory is a
movement of 1,200,000 committed people in every region of Russia and in 60
countries around the world!" said Olga Zanko.
The opening
ceremony of the Rally at the National Centre RUSSIA was also attended by Deputy
Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Yegor Litvinenko and Chair of the
Committee for Public Relations and Youth Policy of the city of Moscow
Yekaterina Dragunova.
The opening
ceremony continued with an educational programme for the volunteers, which will
run until 10 May. Participants of the All-Russian rally will meet with Heroes
of the Great Patriotic War and other military operations. The Ambassadors of
Victory will revisit the key milestones of the Great Patriotic War and prepare
to assist in commemorative and festive events. The rally has also served as a
platform for sharing experience among volunteers from different regions of the
Russian Federation. Participants are exchanging best practices and proven solutions
for organizing large-scale events.
This year,
300 volunteers, including the Ambassadors of Victory and volunteers from
partner organizations, will be assisting on Red Square. Their tasks will
include welcoming delegations and providing information to guests.
