Novosibirsk, Russia—Ildus Yanyshev, a UPF Ambassador for Peace who is bicycling around the world, was welcomed to Novosibirsk by the local UPF chapter.
During his stay in Russia’s third-largest city, Mr. Yanyshev met a variety of citizens, both young and old, and promoted not only the benefits of bicycling but also the Peace Road initiative of UPF.
Under the Peace Road banner, Mr. Yanyshev, a businessman located in Kazan, the capital of the Russian Republic of Tatarstan, started bicycling westward in April 2017 and has spent more than 16 months on his global tour.
After arriving in Novosibirsk on September 3, 2018, Mr. Yanyshev attended a dinner at the Rotary Club the next evening, during which he spoke of his journey. He emphasized the value of bicycling for a successful, healthy and happy life. He also promoted the UPF Peace Road project. The meeting was held in a family-like and friendly atmosphere.
On September 5, he visited the school sports club Kon-Tiki. There he met Vladimir Kovalenko, who in the 1990s also bicycled around the world. Inspired by the meeting, Mr. Kovalenko then joined all the remaining Peace Road events during Mr. Yanyshev’s stay in the city.
On September 6, UPF arranged for Mr. Yanyshev and Mr. Kovalenko to speak at the Novolugovsk School No. 57, which is among the 100 best schools in Russia. The two bicyclists spoke to students of the eighth and ninth grades and their teachers (about 80 participants). They inspired the students with stories of their experiences and with their promotion of healthy and happy lifestyles through cycling. The Peace Road project was declared a good experience by both children and teachers .
In the evening, in the National Public Library for Science and Technology, Mr. Yanyshev spoke to the cyclists of the city. He gave a presentation about his journey within the framework of the Peace Road project and spoke about the internal changes that have occurred in his life during the trip. On the morning of September 7, he continued his journey to the city of Omsk.