Memory that unites: "Victory Volunteers" summed up the anniversary year at the National Centre RUSSIA

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The panel discussion "Victory in Every Heart: How the Anniversary Year United the Country and Compatriots Abroad" was held on 8 November at the National Centre RUSSIA. The event concluded the business programme of the three-day final forum of the International Volunteer Corps marking the 80th anniversary of Victory, which coincided with the 10th anniversary of the "Victory Volunteers" movement. Participants discussed the geographical scale and outcomes of their work and outlined plans for the future.

State Secretary and Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) Denis Ashirov presented the results of the International Volunteer Corps of the 80th Anniversary of Victory and emphasised the importance of cooperation between government bodies and non-profit organisations in developing and expanding the best volunteer projects.

"The amount of work you accomplished during this anniversary year was immense – I want to say this standing: you did a great job! The year is coming to an end, but all the projects and professional practices you have developed over the past ten years must be scaled up. We are already discussing with regional ministers of youth policy how to apply this unique experience. ‘Victory Volunteers’ have become the key to creating an entire line of projects aimed at preserving historical memory. Hundreds, and in some places thousands, of events have taken place in municipalities across the country, and we will certainly continue to share these practices with the regions," said Denis Ashirov. He also stressed that the unique experience accumulated by the movement should be extended internationally.

Director of the Moscow City Government Institution "Mosvolunteer" Alexander Levit highly appreciated the interim results and prospects for developing partnerships that unite volunteers and promote volunteer initiatives throughout the country.

"I am happy that we have the opportunity to be useful every day – whether it is caring for memorial plaques, visiting veterans, participating in remembrance vigils, or supporting those who are defending our country through humanitarian work and assistance to their families. It is especially valuable that more than 15,000 people joined our volunteer training centre this year. The number may not seem large for Moscow, yet most of them had never taken part in volunteer work before," said Alexander Levit. 

Head of the Federal Headquarters of the All-Russian Youth Volunteer Public Movement "Volunteer Company of the Combat Brotherhood" Stanislav Kuzmenko spoke about the movement’s key projects and events, highlighting the activities of the search camp in Rzhev: "This camp offers a hands-on connection to history and completely changes a young person’s worldview. We believe it provides a full cycle of patriotic education – from joining our movement to becoming a defender of the Fatherland." 

The results of projects and initiatives implemented during the anniversary year of the Great Victory were presented by Acting Executive Director of the All-Russian Public Movement "Victory Volunteers" Artemy Kiselyov, and Head of the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps, member of the Civic Chamber of the Russian Federation and of the Central Executive Committee of the All-Russian People’s Front Yevgeny Kozeyev. The session was moderated by Deputy Head of the Department for National Priorities and Regional Cooperation of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh) Yulia Ustinova. 

The final forum of the International Volunteer Corps marking the 80th anniversary of Victory brought together more than 1,500 volunteers from 89 regions of Russia and 35 countries at the National Centre RUSSIA. The three-day event was organised by the All-Russian Public Movement Victory Volunteers with the support of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs (Rosmolodezh), the Moscow Committee for Public Relations and Youth Policy, the Presidential Grants Foundation, and other partner organisations.