Senators and deputies met with students at the "Open Lesson on Leadership"

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Behind laws and government institutions there are always people — with their life stories, values and personal achievements. This idea lay at the heart of the "Open Lesson on Leadership and Politics", which was held at the National Centre RUSSIA to mark the 120th anniversary of Russian parliamentarianism. The motivational meeting brought together Senators of the Russian Federation, a State Duma deputy, parliamentarians of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, members of the Youth Parliament and students.

Among the honoured guests were Senators of the Russian Federation Alexei Sitnikov and Vladimir Pushkaryov, State Duma Deputy Dmitry Pogorely, current and former deputies of the Yamal parliament, as well as members of the Youth Parliament. For the participants in the dialogue, the moderator — Chair of the Committee for Social Policy of the Legislative Assembly of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, Tatyana Buchkova — prepared questions focusing on life and career principles.

Answering a question about what to do in the event of a mistake, Alexei Sitnikov stressed how important it is for a leader to take responsibility.

"There is a way out of any difficult situation. What is needed is a sober analysis, an understanding of where our weak points were, and collective brainstorming. Mistakes and setbacks provide a strong foundation for moving forward. The key thing is not to give up," the senator emphasised.

Speaking about professional and life achievements, Vladimir Pushkaryov drew a parallel between mountaineering and serving the region: "For me, the main summit has always been service to Russia and Yamal. No peak is conquered alone — there are always those who support and secure you. Climbing involves difficult sections that you must understand how to pass. A summit has to be stormed, not simply admired from afar."

The Chair of the Legislative Assembly of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, Sergei Yamkin, noted that next year Yamal parliamentarianism will mark its 95th anniversary and recalled the contribution of deputies of the first convocation of the region’s modern legislative body. Working under difficult conditions, they laid the legal foundation for the Area’s development.

"Dialogue between parliamentarians of different generations at the National Centre RUSSIA is of special importance for Yamal: it is an opportunity to present the Area’s achievements and potential to the entire country, and, most importantly, to demonstrate that behind any government institutions there are always specific people, their personal stories and experience of overcoming challenges. We seek to show young people the human dimension of lawmaking, to inspire them by personal example and to emphasise that responsibility and initiative are the key qualities of a true leader," Sergei Yamkin said.

During the motivational meeting, an interactive session titled "Artefacts. The Story of One Object" was held, in which speakers spoke about items of personal significance — talismans or family heirlooms. For example, Sergei Yamkin presented a traditional Nenets hunting belt made of reindeer leather with protective charms. For Vladimir Pushkaryov, the "artefacts" were ice axes — from early Soviet models to modern ones — each linked to important stages of his journey.

Special attention was given to former deputies of the Yamal parliament — pioneers who stood at the origins of the Area’s legislative authority. Experienced parliamentarians advised young people to remain true to the principles of honesty and responsibility, to listen to voters, not to fear initiative and to stay open to new ideas.

An open conversation with students became a key part of the meeting. At the conclusion of the event, guests asked the speakers questions about Yamal’s future, the introduction of new technologies and personal guiding principles. Discussions covered prospects for developing "new-type cities" in the Arctic, the introduction of autonomous delivery and robotic services, as well as Yamal’s experience with video surveillance systems and digital construction monitoring that allow real-time tracking of progress and resource use.

The event was held as part of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area Week at the National Centre RUSSIA. Earlier the same day, deputies also took part in a meeting with the Governor of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area, Dmitry Artyukhov, who presented the region’s strategic development vision through 2030.