Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Official website of the State –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
On December 5th, the entire planet honors volunteers—a holiday for those who choose to help those in need, not for reward, but because they cannot help themselves. The date's history dates back to 1985, when the UN General Assembly officially established Volunteer Day to formally recognize the contribution of volunteers to solving global problems and strengthening peace. In Russia, the holiday became a national holiday in 2017, when President Vladimir Putin signed a decree to that effect.
Humanitarian society
Volunteering is a deeply rooted phenomenon in Russian society. Its roots lie in community-based mutual aid, the tradition of caring for monastic orphanages, and the 19th-century campaign of the Sisters of Mercy. Under Alexander I, the Imperial Philanthropic Society was established, and during the Crimean War and the First World War, the unpaid work of nurses and orderlies became the norm.
The Soviet era gave the country another form of volunteerism—the Timur movement. After the publication of Arkady Gaidar's novella "Timur and His Team," millions of schoolchildren began helping the families of front-line soldiers, veterans, and the elderly—good deeds became part of the new Soviet culture.
Today, volunteerism is a complex, organized system. According to 2025 estimates, 32% of Russia's adult population participates in volunteer activities, meaning one in three residents has lent a helping hand to those in need at least once in their life.
It's in our blood
One of the largest volunteer projects in our country is the All-Russian campaign
On the eve of Volunteer Day, the "We Are Together" forum was held in Moscow, where Russian President Vladimir Putin presented the "Volunteer of the Year 2025" award to Anna Pluzhnikova for providing meals to volunteers cleaning the Black Sea after the environmental disaster near Anapa. In his speech, the head of state emphasized that volunteering is not just assistance, but an expression of national solidarity and civic maturity, rooted in a sincere desire to help others. This has been especially evident during the pandemic and during the Special Military Operation (SVO). "It's in all of our blood—helping our neighbors, supporting those in need," Vladimir Vladimirovich emphasized.
Festival of Good Deeds
Today marks the end of the nationwide "Week of Good Deeds"—a mass volunteer effort to make trench candles and camouflage nets for the SVO. Activists also visited lonely people, improved memorials, and held scientific and environmental volunteer days. The celebration of Russia's humanitarian community doesn't end there: tomorrow, the Mosart Gallery in Moscow will host a screening of the documentary "
The State University of Management deeply respects the volunteer movement. Students and staff of the State University of Management regularly participate in social, patriotic, and environmental initiatives—from mentoring schoolchildren to assisting veterans and mobilized personnel. Specifically, the Moscow City Branch of the All-Russian Student Rescue Corps (VSKS), located on the grounds of the First Management University, regularly hosts master classes on weaving camouflage nets, making trench candles, and stoves for humanitarian aid, which the university sends to Russian soldiers serving in the Siberian Military District as part of the "SUM – To Ourselves" campaign, which began in January 2024 and is part of the Russian Ministry of Education and Science's public campaign "Universities for the Front."
For us, volunteering isn't a fad, but a practice of social responsibility, a form of true leadership. Because a true manager isn't just someone who solves problems, but also someone who is the first to respond when they see a need.
Subscribe to the "Our GUU" Telegram channel. Publication date: December 5, 2025.
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.