An international forum was held in Nyandom

It brought together more than 200 older volunteers and experts from the Arkhangelsk region, other regions of Russia and the Republic of Belarus. The event took place at the Children's Art School.

In his welcoming speech, the Minister of Labor, Employment and Social Development of the Arkhangelsk Region Vladimir Toropov noted that “silver” volunteering is one of the central directions of the social policy of the region, which is helped by the governor’s project “Pomorsk Longevity”. Today in Pomorie more than 3000 “silver” volunteers. “This is not just an expansion of geography, but a new stage in the development of the movement, an opportunity to exchange experience,” he said.

Natalia Kozenkova, Head of Dobro.Center “Youth in Soul” of the Arkhangelsk Region, called the forum an important platform for strengthening cooperation between regions and countries. According to her, the main goal is to show that active longevity and the desire to benefit society do not depend on age. Since 2018, 11 social projects and 15 interregional educational events have been implemented on the basis of the institution together with “silver” volunteers, and since 2025 19 territorial centers of “silver” volunteering have been operating in the region.

Matvey Masaltsev, Director of the Grandchildren’s Charitable Foundation, spoke about the Young Soul program, which aims to create a sustainable system of older volunteering in all regions of Russia by 2030. “Here they look at what others are doing and take it home. That's what I came with, he said.

The key event was the panel discussion “Good without borders: Russia – Belarus” with the participation of Russian Senator Ivan Novikov, representatives of the Mozyr district and the Republican Youth Center of Belarus. The experts discussed international cooperation, exchange of experience and new formats for involving the older generation in volunteering.

Within the framework of the forum, the results of the “Red Carnation” campaign were summed up, master classes, trainings and educational platforms were organized – including “#WEET TOGETHER: The Territory of Mutual Assistance”, where they told about the “#WEET TOGETHER” award, and “Healthy longevity” with an express study of blood sugar and a master class on Scandinavian walking. Volunteers also knitted blankets for premature babies, wrote words of support to defenders and collected help for participants of the SVO.

The forum ended with the award ceremony “Man of Goodwill – 2026”: letters of thanks were given to the organizers of volunteer activities and the most active “silver” volunteers.