MOSCOW, December 5. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin attended the Volunteer of Russia 2018 award ceremony on Wednesday, which was held at the CSKA Arena as part of the International Volunteer Forum.
Anton Korotchenko, author of the 'Healthy Village' volunteer project from the Smolensk Region, was awarded the Volunteer of Russia 2018 title.
"Each of you deserves this award (of the winner-TASS): both those who are present here, and those who are not," the President greeted participants of the ceremony.
Putin pointed out that volunteers help make society more resistant to internal and external shocks.
The head of state noted that those in the volunteer movement are second to none when it comes to such traits as openness, kindness, cordiality and citizenship. "Doing what you do, namely helping people in hospitals and hospices, as well as those with disabilities, preserving our forests, fauna, and nature as a whole," Putin said, lauding the volunteers. The president went on to praise them for helping Russia "welcome guests from many foreign countries at major sports or political events, you do a very important job not just for yourself and those whom you directly help, but for all of society," he stressed. "When people look at you, not only do they take an example from you but there is, as people say, a feeling of security for what’s happening and reliability in our society." "Not only does this make our society kinder, it also makes all of us more balanced and resistant to internal and external shocks, which are always there and have always been, and we have them too," President Putin said.
Some 15,000 volunteers from across Russia and 120 other countries participated in the event, according to the Kremlin website.