Published on: 2026-10-03
Source: Moscow Government – Правительство Москвы –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Muscovites can support the 26 city finalists of the International #WeAreTogether award. Public voting will last until October 15 inclusive. Among the finalists are mentors, heads of charitable organizations, and teams who help children and adults, care for nature, and preserve historical memory.
“More than 4,500 applications were received from Moscow for the #WeAreTogether award this year. Behind each initiative are people who find time and strength to help others, unite like-minded individuals, and achieve concrete results. The public voting allows getting acquainted with these teams and supporting projects close to the spirit. For the finalists, this is an important recognition and an opportunity to draw attention to their work,” said Alexander Levit, director of the Mosvolonter resource center.
Creating opportunities for everyone
Moscow finalists of the #WeAreTogether award are proposing projects in various socially important areas of assistance — from sports and creative activities to preparing teenagers for independent living.
The “Path of the Champion” project of the Adaptive Hockey Federation helps people with disabilities engage in sports. The team, led by Dmitry Dronov, conducts master classes to create new teams, provides equipment and gear, organizes competitions and inclusive intensives. Beginner players can learn the basics, while experienced ones can continue their sports development and pass on knowledge to others.
The international charity festival “White Cane” of the Diana Gurtskaya Foundation “By the Call of the Heart” brings together young artists with visual impairments and well-known performers on one stage. Participants undergo a creative selection process, prepare for the gala concert, attend vocal masterclasses, and adapted excursions.
The program “Children About Finance” of the “Contribution to the Future” foundation, led by Nina Osipova, is dedicated to practical skills. Volunteer teams conduct classes for pupils centers for family education assistance. Teenagers are introduced to personal budget planning, forming savings, and ways to recognize financial fraud.
The XVI International Charity Festival “White Cane” will be held in Moscow
Caring for nature and bringing together like-minded people
In the category “Sustainable Future,” the project “Not Waste, but Secondary Raw Materials” by ANO “RusEco” is presented. Its leader, Mikhail Antonov, and the team develop separate collection infrastructure and environmental education. The eco-center “Sborska” accepts about 70 types of recyclables, conducts tours of the recycling museum, and practical classes where visitors learn how used items are transformed into new objects.
Another finalist is the project “Eco-helpers,” led by Anna Nafieva. Its participants organize environmental campaigns in universities and public spaces, sort plastic caps, and disassemble pens and markers into separate components for recycling. Through such activities, volunteers demonstrate how careful resource management consists of small individual actions.
Corporate volunteering is represented, in particular, by the “Stations of Kindness” project of JSC “Russian Railways.” As its leader Kristina Efremova notes, the volunteer sites bring together company employees, their families, veterans, and students. Creative activities, collection of humanitarian aid, and meetings of representatives of different generations take place here. Participants can propose their own initiatives and find those who will help implement them.
The leaders of the regional stage of the #WeAreTogether award were 25 projects from Moscow
Creativity, Mentorship, and Care
Sofya Streltsova created the project “Art as Therapy” at the age of 13, inspired by the stories of her relatives — members of front-line brigades during the Great Patriotic War. Today, her team unites young singers, musicians, and videographers who perform in hospitals and social institutions on a charitable basis.
“We perform not only on stage but also in hospital corridors and wards. Our goal is to create an all-Russian movement of children’s teams so that in every corner of the country there is a team to support people. We are not doctors, but we heal souls,” Sofya said.
Mikhail Grebenyuk helps teenagers decide on their future profession, choose a university, and find a way out of difficult life situations. Mentorship has been close to him since childhood: Mikhail’s grandmother and grandfather taught at universities, he himself graduated from a pedagogical university and worked as a teacher. Together with like-minded people, Mikhail created a project where teenagers can receive free support from a mentor.
Today, the charity project “Generation” unites about three thousand teenagers and nearly 100 mentors. Among them are experienced entrepreneurs, athletes, scientists, and other accomplished professionals who share their experience with teenagers and help them decide on their future path. The team strives to be not only mentors but also older friends to the kids. Mikhail’s Moscow group has 26 members. They gather together once a month, and he holds individual meetings weekly. Participants of the project enter leading universities, win grants, and go on work trips around the country. One of the mentees dreams of becoming a writer — last year he published two articles. Other kids develop in the fields of design, marketing, and science. According to Mikhail Grebenyuk, reaching the finals of the #WeAreTogether award is an opportunity to attract more attention to mentoring and recognition for the entire “Generation” team.
Anna Kotelnikova began volunteering in 2014. She coordinated volunteers for the Orthodox aid service “Mercy.” The fate of nine-month-old Anya, for whom Anna and like-minded people found a nanny through Mercy’s patronage service after surgery and then helped find a family, inspired her to create the “Road of Life” foundation. Among its wards is Lenya, a young man in a wheelchair who has suffered from a neurosurgical disease since birth. Shortly before reaching adulthood, the foundation’s coordinators helped him find his biological mother and return to his native family. For another boy, Stas, the foundation’s medical experts clarified the diagnosis and selected treatment, after which he was able to hold his head up and use his hands. Now he moves around in an electric wheelchair, studies, and plans to get a profession. Over 10 years, the foundation has helped more than 18.3 thousand children left without parental care. The team accompanies them at all stages—from diagnosis to treatment and family placement.
Anna noted that participating in the #WeAreTogether award public vote is a way to give seriously ill children and orphans a new life. According to her, each vote brings them closer to timely treatment, protects them from loneliness in hospitals, and gives them a chance to find a family.
Sergey Sobyanin named the winners of the “Moscow Philanthropist” award
Support the finalists
Public voting is taking place in in the messenger “Max”. Users need to select a nomination and mark the participant they liked. In each nomination, one vote can be cast for one finalist.
Voting results will bring participants additional points to the jury’s scores. The finalist who receives the most votes will become the winner of the special nomination “People’s Choice Award.” Support for participants can be given until October 15 inclusive. The laureates will be announced at the International Forum on Civil Participation #WeAreTogether. It will take place from December 2 to 5.
In Moscow, the submission of applications for the regional stage of the #WeAreTogether award has been extended until June 14.The regional stage of the #WeAreTogether award has begun in Moscow
You can learn more about volunteering on the website of the resource center “Mosvolonter”, and on its social media page “VKontakte”, as well as in in the “Max” messenger.
The organization of volunteer activities and the involvement of young people in city events correspond to the objectives of the national project “Youth and Children” and the federal project “We Are Together.” More about Russia’s national projects and the capital’s contribution can be found at special page.
Quickly get the main news on the official channels of the city of Moscow in messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It is an accurate report of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.