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Putin wants new children’s movement to honor old traditions

The all-Russian movement of children and youth dubbed The Movement of the First was founded in 2022 and any child above the age of six can join

NOVO-OGARYOVO, April 19. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin suggested deciding how to incorporate the word "pioneers" for the modern children’s movement.

"The first ones are what? Pioneers, right?" the head of state said following a report by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova who mentioned The Movement of the First children’s organization. "The old-fashioned way to put it," Golikova agreed. "The old way, the new way - as it was, so it is, there is no way around it," Putin retorted. He emphasized that "this term, this naming, as opposed to Komsomol, the communist youth union, is devoid of any ideological overtones."

"Please, think about this, okay?" the president suggested. "The kids picked the name for their movement - The Movement of the First," Golikova reiterated. "Okay, Okay, I know about this but, while we are using this right now, we simply need to think and ask the kids for their opinion," the head of state reiterated. "Okay!" Golikova promised.

The all-Russian movement of children and youth dubbed The Movement of the First was founded in 2022 and any child above the age of six can join. The movement’s goals include facilitating the promotion of state policy in the interests of children and young people, helping bring up children, guiding them in their career choices, organizing leisure activities, giving youth a chance to become well-rounded individuals, as well as preparing children and young people to be productive citizens.

In February 1922, the first Moscow city pioneer organization was founded and on May 19, at the All-Russian conference of the Russian Young Communist League a decision was made about the nationwide rollout of pioneer squads, uniting them as the All-Russian children’s communist organization The Spartacus Young Pioneers. In 1924, following Vladimir Lenin’s death, the organization was named in his honor. The Young Pioneers was the largest children’s organization in the Soviet Union, by 1980, over 19 mln schoolchildren were among its members. On October 1, 1990, at the All-Union Young Pioneer Convention, the organization was disbanded.

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