The All—Russian Youth Art Media Festival "I am Proud of my Small Homeland", established by the University of Industrial Technology and Design, was held in the Boiling Point - PromTechDesign space of Ƶ. The event was attended by schoolchildren and students from St. Petersburg and other regions of Russia.
The project "I am proud of my small homeland" was launched in 2022. It originated from the desire to create a large-scale picture of a great country, as well as to give each of its inhabitants the opportunity to share the history of their native land. Participants from all over Russia presented creative works telling about those places, sights and people who arouse in them a sense of pride and deep affection. One of the key objectives of the project is to combine cultural traditions, history and spiritual values of different peoples, cities, villages and villages, to reflect the cultural code of the regions of Russia, combining all this into a single chronicle of a large country.
The mood and tone of the whole Festival was set by the performance of the Russian ensemble "Cossack Share". With their traditional songs, the performers touched upon the theme of the spirituality of the Russian people, outlined the main idea of the festival and created an atmosphere of unity that accompanied the participants throughout the day.
The Festival guests were able to see an exhibition of the best works based on the results of the eponymous contest "I am proud of my small homeland", animated films based on illustrations and stories by participants, take part in the quiz "Discover Russia", and also witnessed one of the most spectacular stages of the festival — an in-person art competition among schoolchildren and students. St. Petersburg. For several hours, the young artists created their works under the supervision of the festival guests. Schoolchildren worked on collages dedicated to the Northern Capital, and students of creative fields painted paintings inspired by their hometowns — places from where their journey begins, their memory, their history.
The painting competition among students "My Country is Wide" was curated by Evgenia Shapovalova, a member of the Union of Designers of Russia, a senior lecturer at the Department of Pedagogy, Psychology and Vocational Training of Ƶ.
The “My Petersburg” School Decorative and Applied Arts competition was supervised by Tatiana Devyatko, a teacher of fine arts at the Russian Gymnasium at the State Russian Museum.
"First of all, the works of each author are individual and to some extent associated with each of them," said Peter Gamayunov, member of the jury, Director of the Costume Design Institute of Ƶ.
The festival also hosted a round table "Heroes of the Small Motherland", which was attended by representatives of public, scientific and cultural organizations: Dmitry Solonnikov, Director of the Institute of Modern State Development, Evgeny Shuvalov, a member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Yuri Sivachev, a member of the Russian Academy of Arts, Linda Cherkasova, Deputy editor-in-Chief of the First TV Channel of St. Petersburg., Director General of the ANO Center for the Development and Support of Culture and Science "Reflection" Alexandra Radostinskaya, Natalia Gavrilova, Director of the Cultural and Exhibition Center of the Higher School of Technology and Energy of Ƶ, Chairman of the Board of the St. Petersburg Branch of the International Center of the Roerichs, member of the Board of the Department of Cultural Relations with India of the Interregional Association for International Cooperation Eduard Tomsha, member of the Board of the Creative Union of Cultural Workers, member of the Expert Council on Creative Economy of the CIS Business Center Yulia Pashedko.
"Over the past few years, the presentation of information has changed radically. If 25-30 years ago our Homeland consisted of the same TV channels that we watched, the same newspapers that we all read, and now we have access to information from different countries. We follow events online from anywhere in the world. When we talk about our small homeland, we form a real information flow," said Dmitry Solonnikov, Director of the Institute of Modern State Development.
"Our parents, grandparents, and grandparents told us about their small homeland. Now it's your turn to share with others how beautiful your land is, how precious the places where you grew up and which you love. Tell us about it sincerely, because it is from such stories that the soul of the country is formed," said Evgeny Shuvalov, a participant in the SVO.
In total, more than 450 works were submitted, including illustrations, paintings and graphic canvases, short stories, essays, animations and videos. The works were accepted in digital format, and the young designers of the Ƶ Student Press designed them on graphic tablets, which will later be exhibited in major cultural and educational institutions in the format of mobile thematic exhibitions.
"A person's family and destiny always begin with a small homeland. Where you were born, where your parents lived, where you first felt warmth, care and love, everything starts from there. And the more deeply a person realizes his connection with this land, the stronger his family is, the more stable his life path is," said Lyudmila Vinogradova, the author of the project idea, head of the Department for Educational Work at Ƶ.
"It is very important to preserve cultural and family values, to talk about your ancestors, about the way of life of past generations. Such stories help young people understand where they come from, realize their roots and feel the connection of the times. This is the strength and wealth of our country," said Katerina Tugolukova, Director of the Festival, Associate Professor at Ƶ.
At the end of the Festival, the organizers and the jury summed up the results of the creative contests, and all the winners were awarded with diplomas and memorable gifts.