The Russian Children’s Fund of Albert Likhanov celebrated its 35th anniversary with good deeds

In the Hall of Columns of the House of Unions, the All-Russian Public Charitable Foundation “Russian Children’s Fund” launched the Festival “Childhood Volunteers – the Pride of Russia”. The event is dedicated to the 35th anniversary of the founding of this, the country’s first charitable organization, which is now firmly associated with the name of its founder, the classic of youth literature and an iconic figure in Russian charity, Albert Anatolyevich Likhanov, who passed away less than a year ago.

The date and place of the Festival were not chosen by chance. It was in the Hall of Columns on October 14, 1987 that the founding conference of the fund was held.

And today, the writer’s son, Dmitry Likhanov, took up the stage, picking up his father’s business. He read out Vladimir Putin’s greetings, in which the country’s president congratulated those present on the 35th anniversary of the foundation, and stressed that their noble work is aimed at strengthening the institution of the family, supporting children in difficult life situations, and that the foundation’s programs help thousands of boys and girls to discover their talents.

“The most important thing is that you get to know and see the people who have been working hard for the last five years since our last meeting, so that you can see what we have done, and a lot has been done,” Dmitry Likhanov said from the stage.

Following Likhanov, Sergei Mironov took the stage. He congratulated everyone on the Feast of the Intercession of the Most Holy Theotokos. And I remembered that when thirty-five years ago in 1987, first the Soviet, and later the Russian children’s fund was organized, no one even paid attention to what holy day it happened.

“Still, it was no coincidence. The Soviet Children’s Fund was formed a year and a half after the terrible Chernobyl accident. And his very first program was called “Children of Chernobyl”. Then there were “Children of Spitak”, “Children of Chechnya”, “Children of Beslan”, “Children of South Ossetia”, and now “Children of Donbass”. The Russian Children’s Fund has saved tens of thousands of children’s lives over these thirty-five years, many of these children have become adults, many today have children of their own. And the volunteers, to whom today’s congress is dedicated, are selflessly doing that very sacred work, helping the future of Russia in the truest sense of the word. Because our children are the future of Russia. And today I want to remember the words of a true patriot, the founder of the foundation, a wonderful writer Albert Likhanov, who bequeathed us a very correct motto: “Not a day without good deeds.”

Tatyana Moskalkova, Commissioner for Human Rights in the Russian Federation, also congratulated the Foundation on its 35th anniversary.

“Over the years, the Fund has managed to establish a huge number of very useful and effective contacts,” said Tatyana Nikolaevna. “Thanks to the foundation, a huge number of families have been reunited. Today I receive a lot of calls related to the fact that the children were cut off from their relatives, some of the relatives died. The Fund is, first of all, people. What has been done by them during this time causes a deep bow and great respect.

The Fund is really people. For the past two years, the fund’s employees in the regions, at the risk of their own health, have provided assistance to those who have suffered, lost loved ones, lost their jobs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. A large group of the Foundation’s employees were presented for awards for their noble work and assistance. Among them are Ovchinnikova O.N., Vasilyeva L.A., Afanasyeva E.P., Ivanova V.P., Slezavin P.V.

“We have already begun to forget what covid is,” Dmitry Likhanov said. – And two years ago the streets of the cities were deserted. People called back on the phone and reported terrible news. It went through my family too. My father passed away from this disease. I was with him in the same hospital – the Institute. Sklifosovsky. And the people who are standing on the stage now, at that time, although they also had diseases in their families, helped others. And they spent all their resources – their human, public, state – on helping those who fell ill, lost their jobs, did not have money to buy the most basic things. These people raised volunteers, they bought food, they themselves went to the sick. And few people know, but our report on work during the pandemic was marked by the United Nations as one of the outstanding ones.

Dozens of delegations from different regions of the country and neighboring countries, representatives of charitable foundations from Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, South Ossetia, and businessmen from China took part in the Festival.

There were also children from Donbass in the hall. They were saved by a man named Yuri Gagarin – such a historical coincidence. Yuri received the call sign “Angel”. Volunteer, Guards Colonel Yuri Gagarin pulled 367 children out of hell over the past three months.

During the event, the participants plunged into the past, paying tribute to the founder of the foundation, Albert Anatolyevich Likhanov, and saw rare footage of the chronicle with his participation. There were many stories about the good deeds of the foundation, which have been and continue to be done by its employees, hundreds of assistants and volunteers throughout the country. In the foyer of the Hall of Columns, an exhibition was opened with materials on the social and creative activities of Albert Likhanov and documents reflecting the 35-year history of the foundation.

During the evening, public awards of the foundation were presented – the Order of Tsarevich Dmitry “For the deeds of mercy”, the International Gold Medal. L. N. Tolstoy.

On the stage of the Hall of Columns came young talents under the care of the foundation – children of “special care”: orphans, children with disabilities and disabilities, those who are in a difficult life situation. Despite all the trials that fell to their lot, they developed their talents and now they delight hundreds of people. Among these children were Marina Provorkina, Mikhail and Ekaterina Obukhov, Victoria Alekseeva. The choreographic ensemble “Solnyshko” from Irkutsk and other children’s groups danced incendiary on the stage.

Elena Bulova.

Photo of the author.