Participants of the "Young Tour Guides School of Russia" project conducted their first guided tour of the "Book of Fairy Tales" exposition
Participants of the new academic season of the original "Young Tour Guides School of Russia" project conducted their first guided tour for real visitors. The venue for this important debut was the recently opened travel-style exposition "Book of Fairy Tales" at the National Centre RUSSIA, while the first visitors guided by the young tour guides were their parents and other family members.
The next lesson within the project, held under the theme "Parental Support", marked a new stage in the training programme and became a genuine celebration of pride in the first achievements in the demanding art of tour guiding.
"This is an amazing project that allows children not only to learn a great deal about our great country, its culture and distinctive features, but also to develop communication skills, overcome stage fright and express themselves. I was truly surprised by how confidently the children faced their audience and delivered their first tours, and by how responsibly they approached their preparation. For example, my daughter was rehearsing her text until two in the morning, and today she did an excellent job," said Polina Kazakova, the mother of young tour guide Maria.
Despite their nerves, the debutants coped with the task successfully, not only reproducing their prepared texts but also enriching their narratives with personal experience and impressions.
"I talked about the Vologda region — about Ded Moroz and Vologda lace — and I think I handled my task well. I felt comfortable because I have actually been to this region and visited Ded Moroz’s residence in Veliky Ustyug. When you have been somewhere yourself, it is of course much easier to talk about it. And the exposition itself feels like stepping inside your favourite books together with beloved characters. It is an amazing feeling — as if you are truly inside a fairy tale," said project participant Maria Dolgasheva.
For Fyodor Inyutkin, familiar fairy-tale plots from childhood became the key to engaging storytelling. He enthusiastically spoke about his preparation for the tour and his major dream: "Today I talked about the Russian stove. I prepared for a long time, recalling fairy tales where a stove appears, such as Yemelya and The Geese-Swans. When I finished the tour, I shared my emotions about the stove with the audience. It turned out really well. I joined the "Young Tour Guides School of Russia" project to become braver, and I have a big dream — one day to conduct a tour for the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin."
While preparing for their debut, the children did not simply memorise texts, but also learned how to bring them to life and find their own individual style.
"Today I talked about the beauty of the Ryazan region and tried not just to stick to the script, but to make my story more vivid. The "Young Tour Guides School of Russia" project taught me not to be afraid of people, to speak properly, and also to learn many new things about my country. Now I would like to conduct a tour on one of the towers of Moscow City," admitted young tour guide Maria Knyazeva.
For parents who watched their children take their first confident steps, the day became clear confirmation that their effort and support were paying off.
"They all performed wonderfully — confidently and beautifully. And the exposition itself is simply outstanding: interactive, engaging and interesting for both children and adults. The "Young Tour Guides School of Russia" gives children so much, developing their speech, memory and communication skills. These abilities will be useful in any profession in the future," said Eduard Knyazev, the father of project participant Maria.
The "Young Tour Guides School of Russia" project is aimed at vocational guidance for school students and helps them acquire the knowledge and skills required for guided tour work. Under the guidance of experienced mentors, children study the basics of stage speech, learn to work with information and create engaging routes, and are also given the opportunity to conduct real tours in the exposition spaces of the National Centre RUSSIA.
Classes within the project run from September to May. Theoretical training is delivered online, while practical sessions take place at the National Centre RUSSIA on Sundays.
Event photobank
Participants discussed the contribution of regional authors and small publishing houses to Russian science and shared their experience of engaging with non-fiction literature.
Guests of the National Centre RUSSIA took part in a workshop on festive table setting in the "a la russe" style.
A warm and instructive theatrical production based on the legend of the well-known fairy-tale character from the Vologda region continued the programme of the "Winter Wizards" festival.
