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Youth UPF
"Guiding Star" Camp for Junior Peace Ambassadors
Written by UPF - Russia
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Komarovo, Russia - After young people arrived at the camp near St. Petersburg for the Guiding Star program, there followed settling into the accommodations, meeting, welcoming, songs, meeting the coordinators, learning rules, receiving badges, T-shirts, etc. Thus, the March 27-30 camp was launched.
Impressions of the first day:
- “We had a very hard time, because we didn’t know each other” Olya Vokhtina, Pokrovskoye village, Ural
- “In spite of serious tasks and crowded schedule we didn’t feel tired and would set about the new work enthusiastically.” Sasha Vasilyeva, Pskov city
Each day had a moral concept as its theme:
The word of the first day was TOLERANCE. Activities included an interactive class on the theme of “Live in peace with others,” a video-salon on neighbors “Neighbors,” a program about tolerance among the cultures of the world, and poster competition on “Start changes, become a peacemaker.”
The second day was dedicated to UNITY. There were action games promoting cohesion followed by a talk about leadership. After lunch we welcomed the UPF representatives and Ambassadors for Peace, Ury Gavrilin and Maxim Semennoy. Together with Mikhzil Kurachenkov, who helped us in technical matters throughout all four days, they prepared stages of sports competitions for the game of “Challenge yourself.” All teams successfully reached the finish.
Impressions of the second day
- “On the second day we all made friends.” Masha Pestovskaya
- “I liked the stages and the people around. They are good and kind” Vika Kanivchenko, Kondopoga, Karelia
The word of the third day was ALTRUISM. Altruism means practicing of good acts. In St. Petersburg, near the Gorkovskaya Metro station we unrolled posters with the inscription “Life is beautiful” and handed out smiley-notes to people. The passers-by smiled and stayed for pictures in front of our placards.
That day we walked around the city, visiting the Comedians Theater and the Petripavlovskaya stronghold [the Peter and Paul Fortress]. In the evening, back in the camp the participants watched the video “Happiness is the Way.”
Impressions of the third day:
- “For me the excursion in the big and beautiful city was an unforgettable experience. I liked the theater and educational visit to the Petropavlovskaya stronghold.” Alexei Mikhalkevich, Kondopoga, Karelia
- “I was happy to visit St. Petersburg.” Alexandra Pyrkh, Pskov city
The word of the fourth day was FAMILY. There was an interactive class on the theme of “Family as the school of love” and a video-salon on “Love.” We all participated in a home-theater performance on the theme of “The Day of Heart.”
Each evening we summed up the results of the day, named the most active participants, shared experience, and ideas.
In the poster competition on the theme of “Start changes, become a peacemaker,” the first prize went to Ivan Gaidin, Katya Martynuk, Alesha Mikhalkevich, and Sergei Shakhovtsev from Kondipoga, Karelia. The second prize went to Alexandra Pyrkh and Alexandra Vasilyeva from Pskov city. The third prize winners were Katya Ulyanova, Vika Kanivchenko, and Masha Pestovskaya.
The young participants were handed certificates of Junior Peace Ambassadors and the adults received certificates of Ambassadors for Peace.
Comments:
- “Here I learned things I was never told before in other camps.” Vika Kanivchenko, Kondopoga, Karelia
- “Here I reconsidered my life-values.” Alexandra Pyrkh, Pskov
- “Getting to know new people and making new friends means enriching and expanding our life experience. Tolerance, unity, altruism, and family are very important notions for educating children and making them good citizens. It is important. Thank you!” Irina Grigoryevna Shestakova, Kondopoga, Karelia
The initiator and administrator of the camp is the Secretary General of UPF-Northwest Russia, Chairperson of the UPF Northwest Peace Council, Ambassador for Peace Tatyana Krasnosumova.
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