International Women’s Day: Participants of International Friendship Clubs and WYF Directorate’s Foreign Partners Join Celebrations
On March 8, events dedicated to International Women's Day are being held in Russian regions and foreign countries. The organizers include the International Friendship Clubs and foreign partners of the World Youth Festival Directorate.
According to the head of Rosmolodezh, Grigory Gurov, the sphere of youth policy in Russia is inconceivable without the creative power of girls and women. "The girls headed 52 of the 89 International Friendship Clubs that were opened on behalf of the President of Russia to preserve and develop the heritage of the World Youth Festival. Women's energy, talent and dedication inspire new achievements. I wish all Russian women good health, happiness and well—being," Grigory Gurov congratulated.
Both Russian and foreign participants of the International Friendship Clubs joined the celebrations. For example, young people from different countries took part in flashmobspresenting flowers to women on the streets of Moscow, Sevastopol, Kemerovo, Nizhny Novgorod, Astrakhan, and Pskov. Representatives of the International Friendship Club of the Oryol Region gave tulips to participants of karting competitions, while in the Altai Territory, young people congratulated female employees of a fire rescue unit and a hospital in Barnaul.
“March 8 is a day to express respect and gratitude to women. Rescue work is difficult and dangerous, requiring courage, endurance, and selflessness, often accompanied by high levels of stress and emotional strain. Moreover, for many in this profession, March 8 is not a day off! That’s why it was important for us to brighten the atmosphere, even with such a modest gift”,said Valeria Volkomorova, leader of the International Friendship Club of the Altai Territory.
Nolwazi Joubert from South Africa also participated in the campaign. She shared that it is very important to bring joy and positive emotions to people.
Representatives of the International Friendship Club of the Sakhalin Region handed outflowers to women at the airport.
“We are holding this wonderful campaign at the airport specifically because we have a unique opportunity to be the first to congratulate our lovely ladies! After a flight, the last thing theyexpect to see is a stranger wishing them a happy International Women’s Day and handing them a beautiful symbol of the holiday – a tulip! I am incredibly happy that the International Friendship Club is organizing such an event, as these initiatives are aimed at uniting young people!” said Nikita Semernin, activist of the International Friendship Club of the Sakhalin Region.
Representatives of the International Friendship Club of the Ulyanovsk Region joined a volunteer campaign and presented tulips to female veterans of the Great Patriotic War, residents of besieged Leningrad and Stalingrad, former prisoners of Nazi concentration camps, and widows of war participants.
"On the eve of International Women's Day, the Ulyanovsk region held a noble campaign to congratulate women whose fortitude and perseverance inspire everyone. This action is our way of expressing our great gratitude for their exploits in the face of adversity. We honor the memory of those who contributed to the history of our country, and we continue to support those who inspire us with their strength, courage, and bravery. Such actions remind us of such values as love for the Motherland and respect for our heroes. We want to preserve the memory of the exploits of these women and pass it on to future generations," said Tatiana Arsentieva, Deputy Minister of Youth Development and Head of the Ulyanovsk Region International Friendship Club.
The Friendship Club of the Volgograd Region held an International Women's Summit for students of the medical university. The event was attended by students and women who have achieved outstanding success in the field of medicine. They conducted a Model World Health Organization and delivered presentations. Among the speakers and attendees were delegates from Russia, India, Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, Jordan, and the United Kingdom.
Representatives of the International Friendship Club of the Republic of Mordovia from Russia, China, and Turkmenistan took part in a masterclass on creating holiday cards. In the Pskov Region, participants of the Friendship Club from North Macedonia, Iran, India, Gabon, Mauritius, Morocco, and Brazil recorded greetings for the international women's community in their native languages. In the Kaluga Region, young women from different countries participated in a photoshoot with flowers symbolizing the uniqueness of cultures and peoples. In the Magadan Region, a poetry night “Poetry of the Feminine Soul” featured participants of the International Friendship Club reciting poems in different languages. In the Yaroslavl Region, a conversation club meeting is scheduled to take place, focusing on Defender of the Fatherland Day and International Women's Day.
"For me, the video "World Greetings on March 8th" is an opportunity to unite with participants from different parts of the world and congratulate all women on International Women's Day! It's wonderful that as part of this campaign I have the opportunity to send congratulations in my native language," said Aria Bahari, a member of the friendship club from Iran.
The International Friendship Club of the Nizhny Novgorod Region invited foreign youth from Iraq, India, Turkey, Pakistan, Colombia, Algeria, Peru, and Cameroon to participate in a conversation club meeting on the history of the holiday.
Celebrations were also held in foreign countries. In France, a meeting of the “Hello, Russia!”Historical Club took place, featuring a lecture by historian René Barki. He spoke about the “Rodina” (Motherland) women's partisan unit, created by Soviet women in France, who heroically fought until the country's liberation in 1944. The audience included foreign youth, and delegates from WYF-2024.
WYF Directorate’s foreign partners in Cyprus organized an exhibition where female artists, confectioners, entrepreneurs, and craftswomen presented their unique works. In North Macedonia, over 300 people, including foreign participants of the WYF-2024, attended a discussion session on the challenges faced by women in the modern world.
Overview:
The World Youth Festival took place on March 1–7, 2024 in Sirius, according to the Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the development of international youth cooperation. TheWYF-2024 brought together 20,000 young leaders from 190 countries.
On the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, the WYF will be held in Russia on a regular basis – once in six years. Also, every six years 10,000 young people from all over the world will get together at the International Youth Festival, and in between, international themed gatherings and events will be held under the auspices of the WYF. Festival events of various formats will be held in Russia annually.
According to the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation on the preservation and development of the Festival legacy, the World Youth Festival Directorate continues the work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.