Published on: 2026-11-05
Source: Preserved Embassy Foundation – Preserved Embassy Foundation –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On October 31, 2026, a large-scale sports and environmental event called “Green Ring of Moscow Gathers Friends” took place in Moscow. The celebration launched the 10th Anniversary International Gathering of Friends of Protected Islands. The event, timed to coincide with the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and the upcoming 110th anniversary of the protected area system, brought together hundreds of supporters of a healthy lifestyle, professional athletes, and eco-activists.
The “Green Ring of Moscow” is a year-round circular route 166 kilometers long, or exactly one hundred miles, created by the well-known athlete and traveler Alexander Sovetov. The route passes through eight administrative districts and 37 neighborhoods of the capital, encompassing 14 specially protected green areas, as well as numerous parks, squares, embankments, boulevards, and sites of historical and cultural heritage. It is around this route that the unique concept of the celebration was built.
The sports part of the “Green Ring of Moscow Gathers Friends” celebration started in the morning at the eco-center “Eco-School Kuskovo,” where the central headquarters of the event was set up. Participants set out on distances of 5–7 kilometers using the Nordic walking technique. The starting points were four city eco-centers: “Eco-School Kuskovo,” “Kuzminki,” “Terletsky,” and “Tsar’s Apiary,” as well as green areas on the Green Ring. A total of 28 points were involved, and from each point, a group of participants started simultaneously, at many points accompanied by guides, combining a walk with a tour.
Meanwhile, at the eco-center “EcoSchool Kuskovo,” Elena Knizhnikova addressed the participants — chairperson of the Friends of Protected Islands Movement, vice-president of the “Protected Embassy” Foundation, and co-founder of the Moscow Nordic Walking Federation. In addition, the participants awaited a festive concert.
In the evening at 7:00 PM, a joint friendly run along the “Green Ring” with pacers started from Izmaylovo. Participants could complete either one stage (a quarter of the ring) or part of a stage, and the most prepared could try their strength on the full distance.
The results of the sports program are impressive:
– At 28 points along the route, over 500 Muscovites took Nordic walking poles and completed their distances.
– More than 1,100 people joined the evening and night run.
– Several participants dared to overcome all 166 kilometers of the “Green Ring.”
From 10:00 to 16:00, excursions, eco-walks, workshops, and lectures took place in 11 eco-centers of the Department of Environmental Management and Protection of the City of Moscow (DPEOS). The DPEOS eco-centers are genuine centers of ecological education, each with its own characteristics and themes. At the eco-centers, Muscovites learned about the capital’s nature, its inhabitants, and how everyone can contribute to conservation efforts. Among the topics were “Citizen Science Projects in Moscow,” “Environmental Well-being,” as well as activities involving microscopes and introductions to plants and birds. Additionally, on eco-walks with scientists and environmental educators, one could learn about the ecosystems of the surrounding green spaces of Moscow. Hundreds of city residents took advantage of this opportunity.
The celebration “The Green Ring of Moscow Gathers Friends” was a bright opening of the 10th Anniversary International Gathering of Friends of Protected Islands, which is being held in Moscow from October 31 to November 5, 2026. The very idea of the Protected Islands Friends Gatherings was born in Moscow, and it was here that the first Gatherings were held. After a long pause, we once again gathered more than three hundred delegates from regions of Russia and abroad in the capital — employees of specially protected natural areas, scientists, educators, volunteers, and young naturalists. The main venues of the Gathering were the Palace of Pioneers on Sparrow Hills, NITU MISIS, and other spaces.
We are sincerely grateful to everyone who made the “Green Ring of Moscow Gathers Friends” possible:
– To the Department of Environmental Management and Protection of the City of Moscow — for support and providing sites for eco-centers;
– To the Moscow Nordic Walking Federation and personally to its leader Tatyana Polyakova — for organizing the sports program;
– To Alexander Sovetov — the author of the idea of the “Green Ring of Moscow” — for the inspiring route that unites nature and sports;
– To all the volunteers, employees of eco-centers, whose energy and dedication made this day truly memorable.
*The 10th Gathering of Friends of Protected Islands is organized by the Movement “Friends of Protected Islands” together with the Charitable Educational Foundation “Protected Embassy” and the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization for Additional Professional Education “Ecological Educational Center “Reserves” with the support of the Presidential Nature Fund and the Presidential Grants Fund. Partners include the Russian Reserve Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Russia, the Department of Nature Use and Environmental Protection of the City of Moscow. The general partner of the Gathering is the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization “Energy of Development.” The Gathering of Friends of Protected Islands thanks the hospitable venues: the Palace of Pioneers on Vorobyovy Gory, NITU MISIS, the International Wildlife Festival “Golden Turtle,” the Zoological Museum of Moscow State University, and the State Darwin Museum.
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