The Words of the Samko Family
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The Words of the Samko Family |
Moscow, Russia -- The long-awaited Spring Week of Goodness under the motto "We are creating our future together!" was launched in Moscow on April 20. Each year there is a growing number of people wishing to participate in cleaning streets and parks, planting trees, giving charity concerts, assisting children and war veterans, and taking part in sports activities. Each year, UPF and the Young Ambassadors for Peace organize various events during Russia's Spring Week of Goodness.
Youth Community, under the Department for Culture of the Moscow Government, UPF, and the Land and People charitable foundation, with assistance of the Izmailovsky City Park for Culture and Recreation organized "All Together!" on April 20 and 21. Despite the cloudy weather, at the main stage of the Izmailovsky Park many volunteers assembled to contribute to improvement of the surroundings. It is a good feeling to help benefit nearby people, especially when many of them are young families and visitors to the capital who are walking in the park to take a breath of fresh air, enjoy the singing birds, and find refuge from the bustle of the city. A few hours of collecting old leaves and trash as well as doing other useful work passed quickly, especially for those who worked in groups, where they could enjoy the additional pleasure of communicating and keeping alive the spark of volunteering. On completion of the activity, those who wished stayed to enjoy pleasant conversation over a cup of hot tea; and then each participant received a letter of thanks from the organizers and an invitation to future programs of the kind.
Even more enthusiasts gathered together on Sunday, April 21, a cool day, for activities including a sports components and even a captivating flash-mob dance promoting a clean world. As it turned out, at three venues in Moscow and in several cities of Russia guys from the Chisto Lyubie movement organized simultaneous flash mob dances with one simple goal: to draw attention to the purity of not only on the streets, but also in the hearts!
One of initiators of the event, Dmitry Samko, Secretary General of UPF-Russia, shared about the Run Hour program taking place simultaneously in ten cities of Russia during the Spring Week of Goodness. All who wished went for a run in the Izmailovo Park, and at the end they were welcomed by another event organizer, Eugenia Beginina from Youth Community, with plenty of green balloons, symbolizing the pure world. And, of course, each participant launched his balloon into the sky much to the delight of families with children!
At the end of the two-day program volunteers participated in a Play Football Make Peace tournament, where in a friendly but highly competitive atmosphere the UPF team became the champion. The team from the Healthy Youth Foundation was the second, and bronze medals were handed to the Dream Team from the Youth Community.
Organizers hope that such a vivid and memorable start of the Spring Week of Goodness in the Izmailovo Park will give impetus to further volunteer projects and strengthen the desire of the younger generation to continue their deeds of goodness!