Several activities took place in the Urals region that promoted tolerance, brought people of different generations together, and explored cultural values that can be drawn upon for peacebuilding.
Discussing Bazhov's heritage
Citizens of Yekaterinburg representing different organizations and spiritual movements visited the village of Aramashevo in the Sverdlovsk region at the invitation of workers at the local history museum. The theme of this October 24 gathering of the Public Council and UPF was "At Bazhov's hearth," in honor of Pavel Bazhov, a 20th-century author of folk tales from the Urals region. The purpose was not only to discuss the role and potential of Bazhov’s inheritance for raising the morals of society but also to learn more about the museum and the village.
The director, Vera Vasilyevna Reutova, is a former teacher of Russian language and literature. After retiring she became enthusiastic about trying to promote positive changes in society through culture. She initiated the restoration of the unique Orthodox church in her native village and made it famous. She does ongoing work with children, and she initiated a family club that now has 50 families as members.
Villagers and guests created a plan for future cooperation and came to the unanimous conclusion that there are active and interested people everywhere who are ready to work for the benefit of society. They were encouraged to learn to know each other better and help each other accomplish real results, believing this to be the direct way to revive and restore the entire country.
Meeting interesting elderly people
On October 1 every year, the Day of the Elderly is celebrated. Young people often consider the elderly to be a social group that needs help. However, many of them are still seeking to live an interesting and eventful life, the same as young people. They have much to share with the young generation!
Such was the understanding during the meeting that took place on October 8 in a youth club in Yekaterinburg. It commemorated both the Day of the Elderly (October 1) and the Memorial Day of Victims of Political Repression (October 30). Among the guests were students, other young people, and professors.
They came to meet and share with an interesting older man, Mikhail Ruvimovich Burakov M.R., a Ph.D. in physical sciences and founder of the International and Inter-confessional Festival of Spiritual Creativity “Realm of Light” that has taken place yearly since 1996. Mikhail Ruvimovich recited the poem “Fatherless fate” about the life courses of two people – a Red Army soldier and a White Army emigrant. They both suffered repression, and their ways crossed through the lives of their children, who were classmates and for a long time did not know who their fathers were.
After listening to the poem, the group discussed history and patriotism and then started discussing the qualities young people should develop in order to become responsible creators of the future and enjoy a good family life, a stable society, a prosperous nation, and a peaceful world. The answers included inheriting the best experiences of one's fatherland, embodying good values, living according to one's conscience, and being sensitive to the problems and needs of other people.
Turchaninova T., coordinator of UPF volunteer activity in Yekaterinburg, reports that such meetings are needed because they help people to better understand each other and build bridges of good relations that bring together different generations and social groups. Communication will surely continue in the future. As young people participate in relief projects, they will grow in their capacity to contribute to society. At the end of the meeting, one polytechnic student suggested holding a series of such meetings in his hostel.
Promoting tolerance in high schools
At school No. 163 in Yekaterinburg, a round-table discussion took place on the theme of “School as a social institution for developing tolerance.” The principal, Svetlana Martirosovna Motorina, is an Ambassador for Peace and a committed pedagogue. The children at the school are of many nationalities, including Kyrgyz, Chinese, Kazakh, Greek, and Vietnamese, and they are able to live together without national conflicts. The school is famous for its tolerant and friendly atmosphere and the teachers develop their own methods for promoting tolerance. Therefore, on the Day of Tolerance it was decided to organize a round-table discussion in order to gain from their expertise, analyze the results of their work, and give others a chance to master new and progressive methods.
The event was attended by teachers from this school and some other city schools. There were also participants from public organizations and Sverdlovsk Regional Bashkir Center. They expressed their opinion on the importance and relevance of tolerance education for society, participated in the discussion of methods, and thanked teachers for their sincere commitment to the moral education of the young generation.
Young Ambassadors for Peace
Ten energetic young people launched the Young Ambassadors for Peace movement in Yekaterinburg. Some of them had participated in the Youth Federation for World Peace projects and are developing their own social initiatives. They assembled to learn more about the goals of the Young Ambassadors for Peace movement and discuss how the people of the Urals can make an impact as peacemakers and improve human relations.
The event took place on October 24, which is United Nations Day, honoring an organization that was founded for promoting international cooperation in building world peace.
In Urals, this initiative is just beginning to develop. Participants discussed the essential qualities of a Young Ambassador for Peace. Unselfish motivation, a sincere interest in making the world a better place, and commitment to improving human relations should be the attitudes of candidates. After discussing the need for Young Ambassadors for Peace and the desired qualities, they considered specific questions about educating candidates, sharing experiences, and organizing joint projects.
The participants decided to start their activity with an initial practical task: to separately or jointly organize projects for the Day of Tolerance.