On October 1 the Russian-German forum of organizers of sports youth exchanges ended in Astrakhan. The forum was bilateral project in the field of mass sports in person in the last two years.
The forum was attended by more than 50 representatives of partner sports organizations from Russia and Germany that work with youth and are interested in developing youth exchanges in the field of mass sports. The Russian delegation included representatives of sports organizations from Vladikavkaz, Vsevolozhsk, Yekaterinburg, Yelets, Ivanovo, Kaliningrad, Krasnodar, Karachaevsk, Magnitogorsk, Moscow, Novorossiysk, Orenburg, Omsk, Ryazan, St. Petersburg, Pyatigorsk, Tikhoretsk and Chelyabinsk.
Forum events were held in Astrakhan and Elista.
As part of the forum program in Astrakhan participants got acquainted with the possibilities of Russian-German youth cooperation, the system of sports work with youth in Russia and Germany, were trained at seminars and master classes on the such topics as “Intercultural education and education through sports. The role of sport in the social development of the individual and society”, “Methods of organizing Russian-German sports youth exchange”, “Financing of Russian-German sports youth exchanges”. They also visited the Turbo Sports Academy and the Patriot martial arts club.
In Elista participants met with the Head of the Republic of Kalmykia, Batu Khasikov, visited the sports departments of the Regional Sports Training Center and the Oirat Arena Sports Palace, tried their hand at the national sports of the Republic of Kalmykia: archery, horseback riding and others.
On the way back from Elista to Astrakhan forum participants visited the Memorial Complex in the village of Khulhuta dedicated to the soldiers of the 28th Army, solemnly opened the historical park of military graves and visited a place that was significant for the events of the Second World War – the well of “life” in the village of Khulhuta.
The key point of the program was the work in partner groups, as a result of which 19 sports youth exchange projects which will be implemented in 2022 were developed.
The forum started on September 27 in Astrakhan. Participants were welcomed by Denis Ashirov, the Director of the Department of State Youth Policy and Educational Activities of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Ovchinnikov, the Deputy Prime Minister of the Astrakhan Region. Sergey Seiranov, the President of the Russian Student Sports Union, Thomas Hoffmann, the Executive Director of the German-Russian Youth Exchange Foundation, Arne Klindt, the official representative of youth organizations of sports federations of the German Sports Youth Association, Grigory Petushkov, the Director of the Institute of Youth Policy and International Relations of RTU MIREA, Alexander Dzheus, the Director of the Orlyonok All-Russian Center, Member of the Russian-German Council for Youth Cooperation also welcomed the participants.
“This year the forum is of particular importance – for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic organizers of sports youth exchanges met in person. It will not only strengthen and restore existing partnerships, but also prepare for the resumption of face-to-face youth exchanges after the weakening of the pandemic,” Denis Ashirov said.
“Despite the difficult situation, despite the general political relationship, in sports we make sure that young people meet. We will work on it. It is very important for us thar all the regions of Germany are involved and those who are interested can find a specific partner. It is also important for us we can find partners in the vast territory of Russia, also in different regions, in different universities and other organizations which share our common idea and want to help spread it, a very simple idea – so that we can meet again”, Arne Klindt said.
Sergey Seiranov noted in his welcoming speech: “Holding the forum in Astrakhan is a great event, the last forum in person was held two years ago in Dortmund and the rendezvous now is encouraging for the optimization of youth exchanges between clubs and organizations of two countries. Today we are meeting at the Azimuth Hotel – for a tourist this word means “landmark” which allows you to determine the direction in which you need to move. So our forum dives us an opportunity to determine the direction of future cooperation for the future generation, according working with youth and children.”
The event was organized by MIREA – Russian Technological University acting as the Russian Coordination Bureau for Youth Cooperation with Germany, the Russian Student Sports Union and the German Sports Youth Association (Germany) with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, the Government of the Astrakhan Region, the Government of the Republic of Kalmykia and the German-Russian Youth Exchange Foundation.
Reference
Russian-German youth cooperation in the field of mass sports is carried out in accordance with the Agreement between the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany in the field of youth cooperation of December 21, 2004 and the Agreement in the field of work with youth between the Russian Student Sports Union and the German Sports Youth Association of September 14, 2017.
