The clergy of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese participated in pedagogical conferences.

      Text and photos from the Voskresensky, Bogorodsky, Balakhna, Avtozavodsky, Dalnekonstantinovsky and Sormovsky deaneries of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese

      On August 22, a traditional August city pedagogical conference was held on the territory of the Voskresensky deanery of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese. The event was attended by the head of the city Mikhail Klinkov, the head of the City Duma Viktoria Nikolaeva, City Duma deputy Alexander Terentyev, the dean Archpriest Alexander Dolbunov and the dean’s assistant for educational affairs Priest Alexander Makarov. Delegates from the Voskresensky district of the diocese also included Ksenia Serukhina, director of the Orthodox Gymnasium named after Venerable Seraphim of Sarov, and Lyudmila Troshanina, the deanery’s education curator.

      The plenary session was opened by Olga Paleeva, Director of the Department of Education of the City Administration. She spoke about the achievements in the development of the education system in the 2024–2025 academic year, in particular that the average Unified State Exam (USE) score of the city’s school graduates is higher than the national average, as well as about winners of contests and Olympiads, and thanked the teachers for their work. Mikhail Klinkov presented the badge “Honored Worker of Education of the Russian Federation” to Tamara Belkovich, an English teacher at Gymnasium No. 38.

      In his address Archpriest Alexander Dolbunov said: “A teacher is not a profession, a teacher is a vocation. A teacher who is blessed by Almighty God to set a person on his earthly path. School is the place where the foundation of personality is laid. The word ‘education’ contains the root ‘image’ — we all know that man is made in the image and likeness of God. Teachers are also responsible for the upbringing of personality so that a person is ready to carry within himself the foundations of morality and the observance of certain traditions, and these are inculcated into his personality precisely at the school desk. Patriotism and love of God must also be fostered in a person; he must be ready to defend the Fatherland, never betray it, so that the Motherland is strong, mighty and prosperous. I convey the congratulations of Metropolitan Georgy of Nizhny Novgorod and Arzamas on the start of the new academic year. He wishes you God’s help so that your work yields great good fruits, so that the children entrusted to you by the Lord God become true patriots of our Fatherland.”

      After the ceremonial part, the conference continued with sectional meetings.

      On August 26, the annual pedagogical conference dedicated to the start of the school year took place at School No. 5 in the city of Bogorodsk. Honored guests included Alexey Korotkov, head of local government of the Bogorodsk municipal district of the Nizhny Novgorod Region; Irina Budarina, deputy head of the municipal district administration; Oleg Vakhrushev, chairman of the regional organization of the education trade union; deputies of the Municipal Council and veteran teachers.

      The event also included the dean of the Bogorodsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese, Priest Ioann Minin, and the dean’s assistant for education and catechization, Priest Anastasy Sukhomlin.

      Alexey Korotkov congratulated teachers on the start of the school year and wished success, prosperity and well-being to all education workers, preschool staff and supplementary education specialists.

      In his speech to all the teachers of the Bogorodsky district, Priest Ioann Minin noted: “A teacher is a guide of children, a person who teaches our children from childhood, and if he gives a child a sound education, then in the future that child will be able to glorify our country. Faith and spiritual-moral education of children are very important, and it is in kindergartens and schools that the foundations of spiritual education are laid.”

      At the conference, the merits of heads of educational institutions, additional education teachers and schoolteachers were also recognized. Creative groups performed for those gathered, including children from kindergartens and schools.

      On August 27, in the village of Gidrotorf, the traditional annual pedagogical conference was held at Balakhna Secondary School No. 10 named after Hero of the Soviet Union A. M. Kuznetsov. This year it was dedicated to fostering a harmoniously developed and socially responsible personality within the modern education system.

      The event was attended by the dean of the Balakhna district of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese, Priest Alexander Zhuchkov. In his welcoming remarks he congratulated teachers on the upcoming school year, wished them God’s help in their labors, noted the already established cooperation and expressed hope for further fruitful interaction.

      A video message to teachers from the Minister of Education of Russia Sergey Kravtsov was shown.

      Acting Deputy Head of the Administration of the Balakhna Municipal District of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Anna Tabakova also addressed the conference participants with a welcoming speech.

      A report on the results and achievements in the district’s education system was delivered by Svetlana Khodakova, Head of the Department of Education and Social-Legal Protection of Childhood of the district administration.

      As part of the event, an awards ceremony was held for teachers of general and preschool educational institutions who were winners of various pedagogical competitions and projects.

      On August 27, a pedagogical conference “Education in the Service of the Fatherland” was held at the Palace of Culture of the public joint-stock company GAZ in the Avtozavodsky district of Nizhny Novgorod. The event was attended by teachers from preschool and general education institutions as well as supplementary education institutions of the district.

      With a pastoral address to the teaching community, the dean of the Avtozavodsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese, Priest Sergiy Mitasov, spoke. He emphasized the importance of pedagogical work and the ability of each teacher to contribute to the future through their pupils and students. The priest presented certificates and commemorative gifts from the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese to teachers.

      Heads and managers of district resource centers for the spiritual and moral education of preschool children were awarded: Lyudmila Tsyganova (Kindergarten No. 2), Natalya Petukhova (Kindergarten No. 173), Marina Sokolova (Kindergarten No. 116), Alexandra Obukhova, Director of the Avtozavodsky District Center for Children’s Creativity, Elena Balyuk, Deputy Director of School No. 5, and Tatyana Pavlova, school No. 124 psychologist and chair of the district methodological association of teachers of the basics of religious cultures and secular ethics. Most of the teachers present received awards in various categories.

      The event was attended by Vladimir Soldatenkov, deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod Region; Alexander Nagin, head of the Avtozavodsky district administration; Karim Ibragimov, deputy of the City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod; and Irina Belyakova, deputy head of the district administration for social issues.

      The event concluded with reports on the past year by Natalya Kulagina, Head of the General Education Department of the district administration, and Marina Smirnova, Head of the Preschool Education Department of the district administration.

      On August 28, a pedagogical forum of education system workers of the Dalnekonstantinovsky municipal district of the Nizhny Novgorod Region was held at Murav’yikhinskaya Secondary School, dedicated to the start of the new academic year.

      The dean of the Dalnekonstantinovsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese, Priest Arkady Zabaturin, delivered a report to teachers titled “Orthodoxy in Modern Schools.” He emphasized the importance of Orthodox culture in education. The priest stressed that this issue is especially relevant today. Without knowledge of the fundamentals of Orthodox culture, the younger generation will not be able to understand the historical and cultural value of the cathedral on Red Square and the role of figures such as Saint Feodor Ushakov.

      After his speech, the priest presented letters of appreciation to Irina Zaglyadnova, Head of the Education Department of the municipal administration, directors of Dalnekonstantinovskaya, Murav’yikhinskaya and Nizhegorodskaya secondary schools, and to the heads of kindergartens “Solnyshko,” “Kolosok” and “Lesnaya polyanka.”

      At the close of the event the dean thanked the teaching staff for their active work in the spiritual and moral education of the younger generation.

      On August 28, a pedagogical conference before the start of the new academic year took place at the Center for Children’s Creativity of the Sormovsky district of Nizhny Novgorod.

      The conference was attended by the head of the district administration Svetlana Gorbunova, head of the district administration’s education department Maria Chernikova, the dean of the Sormovsky district of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese Priest Andrey Ruzanov, City Duma candidates Pavel Pashinin, Sergey Plyaskin and Mikhail Ivanov, directors and teachers of Sormovo schools, kindergarten teachers and supplementary education institution staff.

      The plenary session was chaired by Maria Chernikova. The meeting began with the Russian national anthem. Those present then observed a minute of silence in memory of Vladimir Radchenko, Head of the Department of Education of the City Administration, who passed away several days earlier.

      Svetlana Gorbunova and Priest Andrey Ruzanov greeted those gathered. The clergyman congratulated teachers on the Great Feast of the Dormition of the Most Holy Theotokos and on the beginning of the new school year. He wished teachers success and God’s help in their noble work, as well as talented and grateful pupils.

      During the plenary session, awards were presented to especially distinguished teachers. Diplomas, gifts and cakes were presented to teachers by Svetlana Gorbunova and Maria Chernikova.

      The meeting concluded with a report by Maria Chernikova.

      Sectional work then took place at the conference.

      Photos of the Voskresensky deanery of the Nizhny Novgorod Diocese

      Photos of the Bogorodsky deanery

      Photos of the Balakhna deanery

      Photos of the Avtozavodsky deanery

      Photos of the Dalnekonstantinovsky deanery

      Photos of the Sormovsky deanery

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