These days in the media, in official statements many times are the words “national unity” is an abstract and not very intuitive. But we have for many years observed what is called the formation of civil society, when it turns out that people can work together to solve problems absolutely irreplaceable. We asked our heroes, authors, and experts to talk about important and memorable for their example, the case that struck, made me believe in unity.
- Patriotism is a feeling of gratitude to God
- National unity day – what are we celebrating?
- Why do we need a national unity Day?
- Vladimir Legoyda: the key to the unity of the country — the commonality of basic values of its people
- A test of patriotism
To return the property and the forest was no longer possible – but in the village formed a civil society
Olga and Ilya Ovodova, foster parents
Olga and Ilya Ovodova
We have in the village Mendeleevo, Moscow region people’s unity was created. the former head of the administration. As they say, there would be no happiness, Yes the misfortune has helped. Upon taking office, he first dismissed the Director of the local house of culture. But his misfortune Director of the DC is deservedly enjoyed great respect, because during her work in the house of culture came to life, appeared studios and dozens of different events, DC was really the centre of village life, so it’s stirred up such a wave of protest that he had to cancel already made decision.
Then there was new cause for indignation: sale at a low price municipal property, attempt to build up the forest. As a result, in the next election, this politician received only 18% of the vote. Unfortunately, to back sold municipal property and the forest was impossible, but the village has formed a good… civil society. Now this term many causes irritation. But national unity just starts with responsibility for your home, yard, street, village.
Had to win the trust of selfless labor, faith, prayer
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko, rector of all-merciful Saviour in skorbjashchenskom a former monastery
Archpriest Alexander Ilyashenko
For me an example of such a huge task is the construction of the Orthodox St. Tikhon humanitarian University.
The clergy enthusiasts have teamed up to create a scientific-educational center, which trains personnel for our Church, and even more – for the whole of our society.
Overcoming great difficulties, they were able to create such a center. The first rector was the ever-memorable Archpriest Gleb Kaleda, after Archpriest Vladimir Vorobyev, who to this day heads the University.
At first there was no space, no funds, and the priests sought them, parallel to the gaining of qualifications as researchers. Well, then – to any endeavor, are all treated with a fair amount of distrust, so I had confidence to win, to demonstrate the high qualification and results. All this was overcome selfless labor, faith, prayer. With God’s help, and of course, thanks to the patronage of the saints was resolved this difficult task.
“Come to drink tea and pet cats”
Inga Moses, the head of the charity fair “Soulful Bazar”
Inga Moses
A recent example of national unity for me is associated with a sad event. But it struck me very deeply. When there was a terrorist attack in the subway, people began to help each other. There was also the problem that nobody was able to go anywhere, metro stood up, the transport rose. Machine intelligence it all blocked. People were standing in traffic and exchanging messages in social networks, some public chat rooms, many offered help – drove people in other parts of the city. And I especially remember the message: “Come to drink tea and pet cats”. For bad news we have unfortunately become accustomed, but here is an example of the unity of the people really struck me.
From a little earlier: I myself grew up in a small town Balakovo in Saratov region.
Remember once saw from the window that all children and adults, a lot of people went out into the yard and began to get out because it’s not doing the utility. I then realized that this is it, there is unity.
Here it is, the bottom up, when we don’t wait for someone’s will, and you just have to go and do something, and even get pleasure from it, because in the end, it all turned into a fun walk, but with an important meaning.
And for the third year in a row it is a miracle I see in the arcade. I hope that this year too will be watching. When you don’t understand how it all happens and turns “Mental Вazar’e”, which put the strength and love of some impossible number of people. And every year the miracle happens. Because it is also the most common impulse when, United, hundreds of people filled one day in an important sense, to each his own.
Send Armenian girl for treatment in Israel helped Azerbaijani
Tatiana Krasnova, senior lecturer of English language, Moscow state University, founder of the charity movement “Envelope for God”
Tatiana Krasnova
We have, unfortunately, too often unity is trying to be in some strange militaristic manner. And that’s just in the charity sphere, we are confronted with unity in its best – in charity.
Recently celebrated three years since the death of baby girl Angelica. She was sick very seriously – cancer, rare and complex form, which is found once in a hundred years. And the doctors do not know what this tumor is doing. The hope was to send the girl to Israel and to try treatment there. This is an amazing and rare event – we collected money for three days, joined not only our citizens, but our former citizens who now live in Israel. It turned out that for them, this unity is distributed in exactly the same way as us. And absolutely no difference that the girl was the Armenian: for example, we helped a man from Azerbaijan.
When there is serious trouble, people are expressing this unity without any further reminder and without any additional propaganda that the most important thing. Apparently, the desire to help is in man as the image of God, such a Ternary code, when all come together and something happens. But Trinity is the best example of unity.
Unfortunately, to rescue the girl failed… But we know of many cases and with a good ending. Of course, it is very important that the man lived happily ever after, but more importantly, that he was not thrown in trouble. And this unity is a great tool. Man you just need to allow you to look at yourself and understand that it is a unity there.
My deep conviction – you need to stop talking about war and start talking about the world. We have national unity Day coincides with the feast of the Kazan icon of the Mother of God. And I think it’s a good excuse to say: “the World pray to the Lord!” Here is the world. Get together and peace, let us pray, all together.
You know, any war parts. Any world connection, unity. We talk a lot about the war, strongly poetiziruet. It is, of course, was heroic, but it is a huge misfortune.
We should try to all work together in unity to gather, to war never was, and, above all, in our heads.
The more we have this war in my head grow, the more we have these boys as Vladislav Roslyakov from Kerch, will go to schools with a gun. The connection is so direct that scary.
And it would be nice for us Christians – Catholics and Orthodox, to stop fighting amongst themselves, and then read the forums – hair stand on end. The man must be kind and considerate.
Children breaking piggy banks, pensioners lay a penny to help others
Elena Smirnova, the head of the Foundation “Sozidanie”
Elena Smirnova
National unity I have not associated with a “red” day or some political party. I think the people’s unity, unfortunately, usually happens during tragedies, as for example, in Krymsk, when all came together and helped people in a situation of flood, or in the TRANS, or when burned forests, people disappear…
But people can unite in joy. For example, the campaign “Children instead of flowers” brought together millions of people who helped thousands more. We have action “With the world on a dime”, and it involves children who break their piggy banks, pensioners, postponing penny to help others.
And that the foundations bring together people some good idea, and it always works for the good. It does not matter whether there is some kind of political or historical date, the main thing – together people can make one common good.
We all have a very different vision of the world and see where we should go and what to do. But recently, we stopped to listen to each other, we believe that our opinion is the only correct one. If we learn to listen to each other, to accept without insulting the other point of view, don’t reject it immediately, but to try to understand what people wanted to say, will be able to join. It is much easier to hear the person and work with him to create rewarding than to defend their point of view, which is not always fair.
I want these days has heard the phrase, “Any idea of unification should be with meaning.” It is necessary that the event had some meaning. Just come to Red square and waving flags is pathetic and beautiful, but it will not bring people together because there is no common meaning of the result.
Bought land and no bribes could build a village
Constantine Cooks, General Director of ANO CWDM “Common cause” (delo.org.ru)
Constantine Cooks
One of the last such example for me – Orthodox children’s village “Rainbow”. People from the science town of Protvino have teamed up in order to solve the problem of your home appliances, your stay. 6 km from the city, they bought agricultural land, for 2 thousand rubles for a hundred. It is 100 km from Moscow, can you imagine? It’s very cheap. They all tried to translate it into the necessary category for the construction without bribes. The 12 hectares they have divided into all fenced with a fence, put a cross, have designated playgrounds, common areas.
Invited the priest who was lined up. Invited the famous people who came together in this project. Thus, this unity, this initiative has resulted in 40 families the science town of Protvino and invited the families to arrange his life. The initiative group consists mainly of families with many children.
I believe that this project is unique, gathered supporters, and they got together to carry out their ideas. And this is an example for other families in Russia, it can be repeated anywhere in our country.
They are located near the existing village of Nekrasovo and spend there all the holidays, games, participate in all activities of the village. Is a civil position, you might say. Very interesting project, I recommend everyone to read it (the information is on the website Detstvo-detstvo.ru).