The all-Russia annual volunteer “Spring Week of Goodness," April 21–23, includes many events under the slogan “Together we create our future,” including cleaning public spaces, planting trees, organizing charitable concerts, and helping children, invalids, and elderly people.
UPF joined the activities in 2010 and became a member of the coordinating committee in 2011. This year, UPF volunteers and Youth Ambassadors for Peace carried out about 100 projects, including cleaning city parks and boarding homes for people with psychiatric and neurological illnesses, giving lessons about goodness, putting on concerts for veterans, and organizing ecological and athletic activities.
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Moscow
Numerous events related to the Spring Week of Goodness took place in and around Moscow.
A football project at the Udelnoye Children’s Home on April 20 and the Mytishi Children’s Home on April 28 included master classes and a mini-football match related to the “Create Dreams-2012” project.
UPF and Young Ambassadors for Peace participated four different projects on April 21 including two annual ones: aid to the children’s home #20 and the psychiatric-neurological clinic #16. Other UPF projects on April 21 were of the same character. Participants washed windows, cleaned public areas, disposed of garbage, and painted children’s playgrounds and walls in the veterans’ boarding house.
A celebration for children of refugees from the Center of Adaptation and Education under the Civil Assistance Committee took place at the “Chinese flier Chzao Da” Club on April 22 under the slogan “Create Goodness.” Young people from the All-Russia Youth Alliance and Young Ambassadors for Peace prepared delicious meals for the children and played a number of games with them. Children put on a performance of the Russian folk tale “Turnip,” recited poetry, and sang songs. At the end of the event they received gifts; in return they prepared a colorful poster with words of thanks.
A friendly mini-football match under the slogan “Play Football Make Peace” took place in the Lyublino district of Moscow on April 27 in cooperation with “Children of the Streets.” Such sports events bring together different groups of people on the same football field and promote a healthy lifestyle, involving children and teenagers in sports.
On April 28, youth from the Moscow Academy of Economics and Law together with UPF volunteers helped at the children’s boarding house #81 by removing garbage and washing and painting windows. The youth demonstrated to the residents the spirit of living for the sake of others.
An event at a boarding home for war veterans in the Konkovo district of Moscow was initiated by the Women’s Federation for World Peace. The program included a performance by the ensemble “Angels of Peace” and the dance studio “Allegro.”
Nizhny Novgorod
A clean-up of areas around the railway station of Nizhny Novgorod and nearby homes took place on April 21, with the participation of UPF volunteers and representatives of Sovetsky district administration. Both the volunteers and people who live in the district were very pleased with the results. The latter expressed their sincere gratitude to the volunteers. The work brought together representatives of different categories and professions; the participants drew up a plan for future joint activity aimed at raising the ecological awareness of the people in the city.
On April 23, the same group of young people organized a novel project called “3 Good Deeds.” Having divided into several groups, they went in search of people who needed some practical assistance. The people they talked to initially showed mistrust, but then their hearts melted and they welcomed the volunteers, who did all kinds of work for all who needed help. They found one man who needed help very much; cheated by crooks and robbed of all his money, he had no means to return to his home. The “3 Good Deeds” project was an inspiring experience for the participants.
On April 25, UPF cleaned up debris at the Limpopo city zoo “Limpopo.”
On April 26, UPF mobilized volunteers of all ages and professions to help at the Nizhny Novgorod's boarding home for veterans and invalids. Volunteers rendered practical assistance to the residents by washing and painting windows, cleaning the grounds, and trimming old trees. The elderly people expressed their heartfelt gratitude and were also happy to for the opportunity to communicate with young people, talking about the challenges they face and their hopes for the future.
In addition, a concert was organized at the boarding home the following day to create an atmosphere of unity and harmony between the generations. Among the performers were students, young families, and children. The repertoire included folk songs of different nations, poetry, and dances. In conclusion, the spectators expressed their gratitude and best wishes.
Yekaterinburg
For several years, representatives of UPF-Urals have been helping at the Children’s Ecological Center and their sensory garden. At the end of April, UPF volunteers arranged a community work day involving not only youth but also adults. Organizers were particularly pleased with the participation of families with young children, envisioning that the parents would enjoy returning to this wondrous place together with their children.
As in the past, a team of volunteers from UPF, the Women’s Federation for World Peace, the CARP youth organization, and students cleaned up the center together with the teachers and children. They washed windows and disposed of garbage and last year's foliage. Such assistance helps the children feel the community’s sincere interest in their well-being and concern about the future of people facing difficult challenges. Furthermore, volunteers gained the valuable experience of participating in activities that promote positive social change.
Perm
The Children’s Municipal Library #5 of Perm, with the support of the local Women’s Federation for World Peace gave lessons about goodness to the first-year schoolchildren. “We are responsible for those whom we tamed” was the theme of the meeting on April 25. Its purpose was to awaken in children a sense of compassion and responsibility homeless animals. The library staff organized a collection of food and supplies for the animals; they also placed a special donation box for those who would like to support volunteers who care for homeless cats and dogs.
On April 25, children met a children’s writer of short fairy tales and stories about good and evil, TSvyatoslav Koshkin. The children could both listen to stories and participate in an improvised sketch of one fairy tale. They felt greatly inspired.
Activists of the Women’s Federation and the local self-government association “Vodniki” also cleaned around the memorial to the soldiers who perished in the Great Patriotic War along the picturesque bank of the Kama River.