Orenburg hosts 8ᵗʰ Warmth of Children’s Hearts festival for children from orphanages and boarding schools

The 8^th annual Warmth of Children’s Hearts festival took place on September 2–6 in Orenburg for children from orphanages and boarding schools. The festival is a part of the Gazprom for Children program.

The event was traditionally arranged and sponsored by members of the Gazprom in Orenburzhye non-commercial partnership.

The Warmth of Children’s Hearts 2012 was supported by the Government and the Legislative Assembly of the Orenburg Region.

The festival brought together 400 children from 20 orphanages and boarding schools of the Orenburg Region as well as the Uralsk regional orphanage (Republic of Kazakhstan). For the first time the event was attended by Orenburg Presidential Cadet Academy trainees.

The event was held by Gazprom Dobycha Orenburg at the year-round Samorodovo recreation camp and the Gazovik culture and sports center where the closing ceremony took place. 150 children from 12 orphanages and boarding schools of Orenburg were additionally invited to the ceremony. All the children received sports suits.

The Warmth of Children’s Hearts program consisted of Spartakiada Games, an artistic and applied arts exhibition, a competition in knowledge of the native history, a show of amateur art activities and a wall newspaper contest.

In addition, the Rostok Nadezhdy tree planting campaign was held as part of the festival as well as the contest of chalk drawings on pavement, discos, cinema showings and a bonfire. The swimming pool as well as all sports and creative grounds of the recreation camp were open for the children. Young correspondents were preparing reports for the festival newspaper and radio.

The festival initiators encouraged all the children who took part in the sports, intellectual and artistic competitions. Each orphanage and boarding school received a gift: sets of sports, computer or classroom equipment.

“Taking care of the younger generation is an important trend of Gazprom’s social policy. Healthy and many-sided children are the main wealth of our country. And we will do everything it takes to preserve this wealth,” stressed Alexey Miller, Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee in his welcoming address to the event participants. “The Warmth of Children’s Hearts festival which has evolved not only into a traditional, but also into a long-awaited event is one of the most conclusive proofs of these words.”

“The Warmth of Children’s Hearts festival allows children bringing their talents to light. Boys and girls look forward to it all year preparing themselves for it. They want to be happy. And it is only us, adults, who can make them happy,” pointed out Sergey Ivanov, President of the Gazprom in Orenburzhye non-commercial partnership, Director General of Gazprom Dobycha Orenburg.

“Out of all the children’s events held in the Region, the Warmth of Children’s Hearts festival holds a special place. It unites children not only from the Orenburg Region, but other Russian Regions and Kazakhstan as well. It is of high social significance,” said Pavel Samsonov, Vice-Governor, Deputy Chairman (Social Policy) of the Orenburg Region Government.