Winners of the All-Russian contest — flagship project of the Movement of the First "MediaAttraction" — awarded at the National Centre RUSSIA

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On 15 August, the National Centre RUSSIA hosted the awards ceremony for the winners of the All-Russian project of the Movement of the First "MediaAttraction". Following two days of contest tasks, more than 100 young people, their mentors, and parents became winners and prize-winners in seven categories.

The All-Russian project "MediaAttraction" is the flagship project of the Movement of the First for children, teenagers, and adults interested in media communications. By completing tasks, they immerse themselves in the world of media professions and acquire new skills. Participants create unique content that shapes the image of Russia’s information space. Few countries can boast such a diverse media environment as the one developed in Russia — the result of the work of thousands of creators: journalists, bloggers, cameramen, and media specialists.

The awards ceremony was hosted by Yulia Baranovskaya and Vyacheslav Makarov, as well as Kirill Gurin, a member of the Children’s Editorial Board of "MediaAttraction", and Angelina Moskvina, activist of the Movement of the First and blogger. The MARTA dance studio presented a theatrical performance for the finalists, and the Choir of the First performed the Russian national anthem together with the entire hall. Welcoming speeches to the finalists were given by Yelena Kunina, Head of the Media Communications Department of the Movement of the First, and Svetlana Sanayeva, Head of the Culture Department of the National Centre RUSSIA.

"The All-Russian project 'MediaAttraction' is a large and close-knit team of the Movement of the First. Here, everyone can try their hand in the media world — become a journalist, cameraman, editor, or scriptwriter. The Movement unites participants to secure a great future for Russia, to make life worthy and happy for all generations, and to change the world for the better. Thank you for being here today," said Yelena Kunina. 

As the hosts noted, the implementation of "MediaAttraction" is also the achievement of partners and experts who created an engaging interactive and educational programme. Among them are Gazprombank, VK Technology Company, Soyuzmultfilm, ANO Dialogue, Rosatom State Corporation and the Atom Museum, AST Publishing House, the First Media Academy Institute of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, the Big Country multimedia space, Vechernyaya Moskva, Argumenty i Fakty, and other partners — more than 30 media holdings, universities, television channels, and publications.

Journalist Pavel Zarubin, author of the programme "Moscow.Kremlin.Putin" on the Rossiya TV channel, also addressed the young media professionals of the country. He wished all those starting their journey in the media sphere to believe in themselves and to strive for and achieve their goals.

Another guest of honour was Dmitry Uvarov, Director for Strategic Partnerships at VK. He awarded the winners in the MediaTeam category. This category was chosen by established and developing children’s and youth media communities: school and student media centres, media clubs, and media classes. In the final, the teams completed contest challenges by creating media projects that they will implement in their regions. The winner was the team from the Republic of Tatarstan, second place went to the Tver region, and third place to the team from the Kaliningrad region. They received commemorative gifts from VK, as well as certificates for promotional support of their community content on VKontakte.

"On behalf of VK, I would like to thank all participants and finalists of 'MediaAttraction'. You are true opinion leaders, and today you bear great responsibility. What you film and share reaches the widest audience. I encourage you to invest more time, effort, and energy into your creative and personal growth, and into developing your content. All the effort you put in will bring you well-deserved likes, follows, and reposts," emphasised Dmitry Uvarov. 

In the FirstText category, created for young journalists, social media managers, and magazine editors, the winners were announced by Anna Morozova, Head of the Department of the Presidential Directorate for Social Projects of the Russian Federation. In this category, as well as in FirstShot, FirstAir, and MediaProfi, participants completed tasks, posting content from "Class Meetings" and workshops on VKontakte on the theme "I am in Russia – the land of opportunity". For these tasks, they earned points and advanced in the overall ranking. In the 10+ age category, the winner was Vladimir Loboda (Chelyabinsk region), with Maria Grigorieva (Republic of Bashkortostan) in second place and Artem Medvedev (Kirov region) in third. In the 14+ age category, first place went to Nelli Beginyan (Krasnodar region), second to Margarita Batinyeva (Kemerovo region — Kuzbass), and third to Mikhail Medvedev (Voronezh region).

"You know, when they announced my name… it was just a whirlwind of emotions! Honestly, I felt a bit dizzy. Pride – yes, immense pride, because so much work went into every line, every post. Every point in the ranking was a step towards this stage. 'MediaAttraction' showed me in practice what the phrase 'Russia – the land of opportunity' really means. It’s not just words on a poster. It’s a chance we’ve been given to find our voice, learn to express our thoughts, and compete in something we truly enjoy. I came here just to try, and I’m leaving with the understanding: I can! I feel an incredible inspiration and confidence that this is only the beginning. Thank you for this chance to believe in myself even more!" said Vladimir Loboda. 

Winners and prize-winners in the FirstShot category were awarded by Renat Shayakhmetov, Director for Integrated Communications and Content Programming at RUTUBE x PREMIER, Gazprom-Media Holding. This category brought together photographers, videographers, and those who create content with a camera or phone, as well as those who edit and process it. In the 10+ category, the winner was Sergei Bobylev (Krasnodar region), second place went to Ruslan Demyanenko (Republic of Crimea), and third place to Aliya Sadykova (Republic of Bashkortostan). In the 14+ category, the winner was Fatima Gasanova (Ivanovo region), followed by Alexei Yevreyev (Penza region) in second place and Anastasia Druk (Rostov region) in third.

Producer of special projects at Children’s Radio, Gazprom-Media Holding, Yekaterina Sharapova awarded the winners in the FirstAir category. This category is for those who are passionate about live broadcasting, enjoy being on camera, run their own video blog, or dream of becoming a TV or radio presenter. The 10+ category was won by Anna Ivanova (Samara region), with Murat Astezhev (Karachay-Cherkess Republic) in second place and Violetta Svinukhova (Tambov region) in third. In the 14+ category, first place went to Vyacheslav Zaporozhtsev (Rostov region), while the runners-up were Darina Akhmetdinova (Republic of Bashkortostan) and Anastasia Antropova (Vladimir region). 

"The 'MediaAttraction' project has been an important milestone for me. It allowed me not only to test my skills on air but, most importantly, to find like-minded people, learn from true media professionals, and better understand the direction I want to take next. It was a valuable experience of communication and self-discovery," said Anna Ivanova.

Maria Aizina, founder and head of the In Silence museum and the Big Country multimedia space, awarded the winners and prize-winners in the MediaProfi category. This category was created for those who are opinion leaders, have their own media projects, have already won media-related competitions, and have experience working with an audience. In the 10+ category, the winner was Zalina Yakubova (Krasnodar region), second place went to Maksim Bobkov (Voronezh region), and third to Marina Shanina (Yaroslavl region). In the 14+ category, the winner was Arina Churakayeva (Republic of Mari El), with Valeria Sycheva (Voronezh region) and Oleg Dolzhkov (Saint Petersburg) as the runners-up.

Anna Shanskaya, Marketing Director of the Children’s and Young Adult Literature Department at AST Publishing, awarded the winners and runners-up in the MediaMentor category. This category is for those who are already, or aspire to become, mentors in the media community — opinion leaders who share their experience with aspiring media creators and develop their personal brand. 

During the finals, participants took part in a game organised by the ANO Dialogue — "GosDigital Monopoly" — and in the "SIMULATION" stress-training exercise. In the first activity, players became specialists in the field of government digital technologies, buying and developing digital platforms, completing tasks, and earning in-game currency — likes. Through this process, they enhanced their strategic planning skills, improved teamwork, and learned the basic principles of the digital economy. The training immersed participants in simulated crisis situations involving provocations and threats, where they learned to react promptly, build effective communication, and make managerial decisions under intense time pressure. As a result, they strengthened their crisis response and reputation management skills in both offline and online environments. 

In the 16+ age category, the winner was Veronika Buldygina (Penza region), with Dmitry Belov (Ivanovo region) in second place and Viktoria Krau (Omsk region) in third. In the 21+ age category, first place went to Tatyana Zapolskaya (Novosibirsk region), followed by Valery Kushnarev (Irkutsk region) in second place and Artem Azarchuk (Bryansk region) in third.

The All-Russian "MediaAttraction" project builds a united media community not only for children but also for families. In the MediaFamily category, the winners were awarded by Maria Khanafiyeva, screenwriter and creative editor at Soyuzmultfilm Studio. This category is for those who create content as a family or run a family blog. Awards went to 10 families: the Makulovs (Republic of Bashkortostan), the Kudryas (Saratov region), the Ridvanovs (Republic of Crimea), the Paramonovs (Kursk region), the Stolyarovs (Belgorod region), the Khanzhins (Sverdlovsk region), the Khusamovs (Chelyabinsk region), the Bashiyevs (Kabardino-Balkarian Republic), the Akhmatovs (Orenburg region), and the Verbitskiys (Krasnodar region).

The All-Russian "MediaAttraction" project is not coming to an end, as the country’s MediaTeam continues to work, learn, and grow within the framework of the MediaTest. The top 100 participants will receive sets of equipment to help them produce high-quality stories, as well as prizes from the project’s partners. As part of the MediaTest, participants will help cover the Movement of the First’s campaigns and nationwide action days.

The award ceremony and closing of the "MediaAttraction" final also featured performances by well-known artists, including PIZZA, Tatyana Bulanova, NANSI & SIDOROV, ANILEDA, and many others.