Dobro v Glavnoy Roli (The Good Takes the Lead) Volunteering Forum Brings Together Over 160 Activists from Amur Oblast

14 july 2025

On July 12, Amur Oblast’s 3rd Dobro v Glavnoy Roli (The Good Takes the Lead) Volunteering Forum drew more than 160 activists representing 13 different localities, ranging from Tynda to Progress, to Svobodny’s Sergei Lazo Palace of Culture. The forum was organized by the Amur Office of the National Corporate Volunteering Council (NCVC) with the support of SIBUR’s Formula for Good Deeds social investment program and the Government of Amur Oblast.

The forum was attended by representatives of local authorities, leaders and activists of volunteering movements, non-profit organizations and NGOs, a total of over 55 organizations from Belogorsk, Blagoveshchensk, Zeya, Magdagachi, Progress, Svobodny, Semenovka, Seryshevo, Skovorodino, Talakan, Tynda, Urakan, and Tsiolkovsky.

Elena Snezhko, head of SIBUR’s Formula for Good Deeds social investment program and chair of the regional NCVC offices in Amur Oblast and KhMAO – Yugra:
"Over the four years that have passed since its founding, thanks to the generosity of the Amur region’s residents, the Amur chapter of the National Corporate Volunteering Council has evolved into a full-fledged community of compassionate people! I thank warmly each of you for your support, for finding the time and energy to do good, for joining us and continuing to share your knowledge, skills, and smiles with children, the elderly, stray animals, and many others in need. Thanks to your help, there will be only more of that to come, and we are delighted to invite everyone willing to partner with us to make Amur Oblast even more comfortable and kind to all."

The forum opened with an award presentation ceremony honoring Amur Oblast’s volunteering activists, attended by the Mayor of Svobodny Vladimir Konstantinov. In addition, special diplomas were awarded to the winners of the first grant contest of corporate volunteering projects Communities Changing the World, who are implementing their volunteering projects this year with grant funding provided by SIBUR’s Formula for Good Deeds social investment program and the Amur NCVC Office.

As part of the second half of the awards ceremony, awards of the Government of Amur Oblast were presented to ten of the most active members of the corporate volunteering community in the following six categories:

Cultural Volunteering – Elena Kazazayeva, Dorozhnik
Ice Volunteering – Grigory Chirey, Belogorsk Locomotive Depot
Social Volunteering – Yana Lakhay, Amur Oblast’s Branch of the Social Fund of Russia,
Eco-Volunteering – Olga Smirnova, Amur Gas Chemical Complex
Breakthrough of the Year:

Maria Dyachkova, Svobodny Branch of Dorprofzhel
Leonid Chifanov, Amur Institute of Railway Transport
Stella Shorikova, Amur Oblast’s Office of Rosreestr

Reliable Partner of #NCVConAmur:

Irina Gaidamak, Svobodny’s Line Pipe Operation Center of Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk
Elena Patsiora, Amur Oblast’s Office of Rosreestr
Pavel Chirikalov, The Movement of the Firsts, Amur Oblast

Vladimir Konstantinov, Mayor of Svobodny:
"I am delighted that the city of Svobodny is becoming the focal point of the volunteering movement for the entire Amur Oblast. On behalf of the participants of the forum, I want to thank SIBUR for their great support for our good deeds. And, on behalf of all residents of the city, I want to say thank you to all of you, the forum’s participants, for your kindness, for your warm and generous hearts, and for your readiness to help those in need. Thank you for helping us organize socially impactful events, for being who you are, and for being here in Svobodny!"

At the plenary session titled Corporate Volunteering As The Driver of Cultural Development, invited speakers discussed volunteers’ contribution to culture, how volunteering connects with cultural activities, where and how volunteers can help, and how culture can find inspiration for volunteering. Olga Kazanovskaya, head of the Youth Affairs Sector, Blagoveshchensk City Administration, Alexey Yelchaninov, leader of Culture’s Volunteers movement in Amur Oblast, Sergey Novozhilov, president of the international Amur Oblast film and theatre festival, Elena Khalimanova, head of Albazinsky Fortress museum and cultural center, a branch of the Amur Oblast Museum of Local History named after G.S. Novikov-Daursky, share their best culture volunteering practices with the audience.

Said Nigmatulin, an AI and neural networks expert, film producer, and director, taught a hands-on master class titled Content in 15 Minutes: How to Create Eye-Catching and Useful Content with AI, demonstrating in real time how neural networks can be of assistance not only in carrying out one’s professional duties but also in volunteering and implementing creative projects, in addition to explaining what AI tools are currently available.

Anna Shvedchenko, a specialist at the Administrative Office of the Amur branch of Gazpromtrans, Svobodny:
"Year in and year out, our ranks have been growing, which is certainly very encouraging, as has been the quality and caliber of the event. The organizers always try to introduce innovative and useful elements, trying to awe us with something new. One of the forum’s sessions, Content in 15 Minutes, led by Said Nigmatulin, taught us hands-on how to create captivating posts and engaging presentations using AI. I’d like to thank the organizers for these new ideas, their new cinematic concept, and for something as simple yet vital these day as… a lot of smiles!"

Natalya Varley, a Soviet and Russian circus performer, a theatre and film actress, was invited as a star guest of the forum. She shared with the audience stories of her creative career and volunteering experience in helping those in need, inspiring her audience to carry on doing what they love. She also recited her favorite poems and songs, including her own works, and answered questions from the audience.

Danil Shmelev, lead expert at the Amur Gas Chemical Complex, Svobodny:
"I want to highlight the meet-your-star session with Natalya Varley. It was filled with so much warmth, hospitality, and unforgettable emotions. It became the most impactful event of the forum for me. The AI-assisted content-creation master class that I attended was also very useful. Although I had had prior experience using AI, I still learned a lot of new things and have already started applying this newly acquired knowledge in practice: I have been testing AI for the second day in a row using the promo code we were gifted during the workshop. It was a superbly organized event. Many thanks to its organizers!"

All willing attendees were also offered a chance to participate in interactive and charitable activities. By taking part in a collaborative session with Amur Oblast’s Chapter of Russian Post’s volunteers, forum guests signed over 100 postal greetings to elderly residents of the Blagoveshchensk nursing home, Svobodny Lada Social Service Center, and to volunteers who had been unable to come to the forum. In addition, the attendees brought donations for the animals cared for by Svobodny’s Do Good Non-Profit Animal Protection Organization that included 248 kg of wet and dry pet food, 62 kg of litter, 96 sets of diapers, 10 bowls, harnesses, cleaning rags, and other needed maintenance tools and supplies. Representatives of the Culture’s Volunteers movement and the Amur Volunteering Development Resource Center also held educational and creative interactive sessions for the forum’s guests.

Irina Grigorovskaya, Transneft – Far East, Belogorsk:
"I was fortunate to attend an amazing event that brought together true heroes of our time! It was not just a meeting, but a genuine celebration of kindness, unity, and the desire to make our world a better place. The forum was inspiring at every step! We met some incredible people who have dedicated their lives to helping others. Their life stories are deeply touching and inspiring. Thanks you, SIBUR, for this unique opportunity! This forum became a powerful reminder that each of us can achieve our goals if we believe in ourselves and act accordingly!"

Alexandra Davydova, organizer at Movement of the Firsts, Zeya:
"It was my first time at the forum. The organization was top-notch, with every detail thoughtfully planned. I’m still unpacking all the useful things I learned, and I will apply many of them in my work. The AI workshop was especially relevant. I’m just starting to use these tools and was figuring out which platforms could help me. Learning from an expert like Said Nigmatulin was truly inspiring, it makes you want more! My heartfelt thanks go out to the organizers for such an excellent event! "

Background:

The Amur NCVC Office was established in 2021 at the initiative of SIBUR with the support of the Government of Amur Oblast to coordinate the efforts of companies, volunteering centers and non-profit organizations in replicating the best volunteering practices throughout the region.

The council’s network is made up of companies and volunteering centers from Blagoveshchensk, Belogorsk, Svobodny, Tsiolkovsk, Shimanovsk, and other districts in Amur Oblast. The list of members includes: Amur Gas Chemical Complex, Amur branch of Gazpromtrans, Gazprombank, Vostochny Spaceport, MTS, NIPIGAZ, Belogorsk Locomotive Depot (RZhD), Rostelecom, Sberbank, Svobodny’s Line Pipe Operation Center of Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk, Gazprom Pererabotka Blagoveshchensk, Amur Oblast’s Branch of the Social Fund of Russia, the Rosreestr’s Office in charge of Amur Oblast, Philip Morris Sales and Marketing, as well as experts representing local volunteeringand resource centers, and charitable foundations.

In 2023, the Amur NCVC Office was recognized as the Capital of Corporate Volunteering at the 12th Moscow International Forum Corporate Volunteering: Business and Society.

Learn more about the Council's activities by visiting its website at: https://www.formula-hd.ru/nskvAO/ and on its VKontakte group at: https://vk.com/nskv_amur.

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Cultural Volunteering – Elena Kazazayeva, Dorozhnik
Ice Volunteering – Grigory Chirey, Belogorsk Locomotive Depot
Social Volunteering – Yana Lakhay, Amur Oblast’s Branch of the Social Fund of Russia,
Eco-Volunteering – Olga Smirnova, Amur Gas Chemical Complex
Breakthrough of the Year:

Maria Dyachkova, Svobodny Branch of Dorprofzhel
Leonid Chifanov, Amur Institute of Railway Transport
Stella Shorikova, Amur Oblast’s Office of Rosreestr

Reliable Partner of #NCVConAmur:

Irina Gaidamak, Svobodny’s Line Pipe Operation Center of Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk
Elena Patsiora, Amur Oblast’s Office of Rosreestr
Pavel Chirikalov, The Movement of the Firsts, Amur Oblast

Background:

In 2023, the Amur NCVC Office was recognized as the Capital of Corporate Volunteering at the 12th Moscow International Forum Corporate Volunteering: Business and Society.

Learn more about the Council's activities by visiting its website at: https://www.formula-hd.ru/nskvAO/ and on its VKontakte group at: https://vk.com/nskv_amur.

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Cultural Volunteering – Elena Kazazayeva, Dorozhnik
Ice Volunteering – Grigory Chirey, Belogorsk Locomotive Depot
Social Volunteering – Yana Lakhay, Amur Oblast’s Branch of the Social Fund of Russia,
Eco-Volunteering – Olga Smirnova, Amur Gas Chemical Complex
Breakthrough of the Year:

Maria Dyachkova, Svobodny Branch of Dorprofzhel
Leonid Chifanov, Amur Institute of Railway Transport
Stella Shorikova, Amur Oblast’s Office of Rosreestr

Reliable Partner of #NCVConAmur:

Irina Gaidamak, Svobodny’s Line Pipe Operation Center of Gazprom Transgaz Tomsk
Elena Patsiora, Amur Oblast’s Office of Rosreestr
Pavel Chirikalov, The Movement of the Firsts, Amur Oblast

Background:

In 2023, the Amur NCVC Office was recognized as the Capital of Corporate Volunteering at the 12th Moscow International Forum Corporate Volunteering: Business and Society.

Learn more about the Council's activities by visiting its website at: https://www.formula-hd.ru/nskvAO/ and on its VKontakte group at: https://vk.com/nskv_amur.

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