Rostov-on-Don sums up project on promoting tolerance among students

The project named "Academy of Young Citizen" was finalized by awarding the authors of best civil initiatives at the final conference.

The project was launched in the Rostov Region in April. According to organizers, "its aim was to advance in the Russian identity, tolerance and patriotism among students."

The project included training sessions and debates. The concluding conference brought together over 200 authors of best initiatives – students from practically all higher and special secondary educational institutions of the region.

"This year, educational programmes covered the municipal formations, where we have major higher and secondary special institutions," Elena Sarkisova, a specialist from the regional committee for youth policy, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

Olga Shevchenko, a student of the Rostov Medical University, has presented her project "Red Line, aimed to monitor the vision level in schoolchildren.

"We – volunteers from the division of eye diseases – have already agreed with five schools of Rostov-on-Don, which agreed to implement our project. The corridors of these schools will be provided with spreadsheets with letters for checking the vision quality. Similar images will be on the floor. If children cannot see the letters at some specific distance, it means that they should go to the doctor," explained Olga and added that not only students-volunteers, but also university teachers and doctors take part in the project.

A student Denis Matsuk offered a project encouraging young people to study the history of their cities.

"We have cleared out that over 20 percent of people know nothing about the history of their cities. I offer to hold a "Quest on Historical Places" – a sort of a game with puzzles and logic charades, combined with visits to historical places and study of the history of their cities by young people," said Denis and added that the participants of the project had decided to hold such a quest in honour of the 75^th anniversary of the Rostov Region.

Another student Elena Timofeeva presented the project "Friendly Environment", having offered to design an interactive map to give a chance to people with disabilities to know in advance, where they can easily walk or drive.

"The idea is that pregnant women, mothers with kids, elderly persons and invalids could click on the map and see whether they would be able to get there in wheelchairs and would mothers with babies be comfortable there. It is suggested that the map will be created by volunteers," said Elena.