Deputy Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA became an expert at the in-person stage of the "More Than a Trip" award
The in-person defence of projects within the All-Russian "More Than a Trip" award took place at the RBC Events Centre on 16 November. Deputy Director General of the National Centre RUSSIA, Anastasia Zvyagina, served as Co-Chair of the Expert Council in the "More Than an Excursion" category. This nomination focuses on the power of the excursion as a form of living engagement with the country – when history, culture and human stories intertwine, awakening a sense of pride and belonging.
The event at the RBC Events Centre featured project defences across several thematic areas. The "More Than an Excursion" category included 12 projects presented by finalists from the Sverdlovsk, Belgorod, Kurgan, Novosibirsk, Kursk, Tyumen, Kemerovo, and Ulyanovsk regions, the Krasnodar, Krasnoyarsk, and Primorye regions, as well as the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area.
"For me, it is both a great honour and a serious responsibility to serve as an expert of the All-Russian 'More Than a Trip' award. Whenever you evaluate something – projects or people – you worry and fear making a mistake. But there is a wise saying: 'When we teach, we learn.' Today I saw several projects that taught me a great deal. I will be able to apply these ideas together with my colleagues in my professional work at the National Centre RUSSIA. I would also like to thank all participants for using the word 'caring' in one of the project defences. All of you are caring people who treat your country with love," said Anastasia Zvyagina.
The finalists presented a wide range of projects that transform a standard excursion into a deep educational and emotional experience. These include interactive historical routes such as "Industrial and Creative Russia: The Code of the Urals and Sysert", bringing the past to life through augmented reality, or "Novo-Sibirsk. Constructivism!", which promotes architectural heritage through quests and lectures. Another format is the theatrical project "Walks into the Past of Kurgan", where participants themselves become part of the performance.
A separate focus was placed on practice-oriented youth programmes. Projects such as the career-focused excursions of the "Mikhailovsky Mining and Processing Plant" (Kursk region) and the career guidance tour "School Express" (Ulyanovsk region) familiarise young people with enterprises and universities, helping them choose a profession. The digital programme "Young Tourist of Kuzbass" combines real travel with mobile quests. There were also patriotic projects such as "Prokhorovka Field: Lessons of Courage" (Belgorod region), aimed at fostering civic and moral values. Among the projects were author-led excursions – "Tyumen: with Soul and Love", dedicated to developing emotional connections with the city through key locations, and "The Tour Guide Who Sews and Runs a Media Project" (Primorye region), centred on deepening knowledge of the Great Patriotic War and the history of Vladivostok. The programme also included the excursion route "The Path of Transformation" (Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area), the cultural and entertainment project "A Museum is More Than Just an Excursion" (Krasnoyarsk region), and excursions at the "Russian House 'Abrau-Durso'" (Krasnodar region).
"All finalists who presented their projects today shared genuinely strong ideas – ideas that truly influence how people discover Russia, contribute to patriotic education of young people and help preserve history. It is valuable that some of the projects use digital solutions – this is particularly effective when working with the younger generation. The 'More Than a Trip' programme wishes all these projects further development! As an expert in the 'More Than an Excursion' nomination, I especially want to emphasise: the profession of a tour guide – a guide to meaning – is now gaining modern relevance and new, exciting formats," said Project Director of ANO "More Than a Trip", Lyudmila Klyauzova.
For the finalists in the categories "More Than a Tour", "More Than an Excursion", "More Than a Hike", "More Than an Enterprise", "More Than a Point of Attraction", and "More Than Media", a public vote on social media will open after the conclusion of the in-person stage. Its results, together with the expert evaluations, will contribute to the final score. The winners in the "More Than a Region" category will be determined based on the assessments of the Programme’s Expert Council. The winners of the most popular category – "More Than a Traveller" – will be selected through a separate vote held on the official website of the award. The names of all laureates will be announced at the awards ceremony to be held at the National Centre RUSSIA on 24 December.
"More Than a Trip" is a programme through which more than 310,000 young people have been able to discover unique places across Russia, learn about the achievements of universities and industrial enterprises, develop socially significant projects and make new friends. The programme is part of the Rosmolodezh ecosystem. It is implemented under the national project "Youth and Children" and is supported by the Movement of the First, the Russian society Znanie, the presidential platform "Russia – Land of Opportunity", the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia, and Rossotrudnichestvo.
