500 children from Nizhny Novgorod set off to learn about the history of Saint Petersburg.

      19 November 2025 12:28 Society

      The interregional tourist-educational project "Lessons with a Journey" is expanding its routes. On November 18 a special train left Nizhny Novgorod for Saint Petersburg, carrying about 500 schoolchildren and students to the northern capital. The trip program includes familiarization with the feat of the residents and defenders of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War.

      Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Gleb Nikitin reminded that this special service was organized this time jointly with the "More Than a Lesson" project as part of Rosmolodezh’s civil-patriotic and socially useful youth tourism program "More Than a Journey."

      He noted that the flagship regional project "Lessons with a Journey" has already become popular among schoolchildren and their parents. Over two years, more than 25,000 children have gone on educational trips to Volgograd with its help, and in May of this year about 600 schoolchildren visited Brest and Minsk in the Republic of Belarus. Now, according to the head of the region, the project is reaching a new level: with the support of the nationwide program "More Than a Journey" and the national project "Youth and Children," almost another five hundred young Nizhny Novgorod residents are being sent to Saint Petersburg.

      Gleb Nikitin emphasized that, as a native of Saint Petersburg, it is especially important to him that the children will be able to get a deeper understanding of the history of the hero city. The trip program includes different historical periods, including the topics of the Siege of Leningrad and the breaking of the siege. He expressed confidence that the journey will serve as an incentive for more serious study of history and will strengthen the children’s sense of pride in the country. The governor reminded that the main goal of the project is to raise true patriots who will remember the feats of their ancestors and strive to work for the good of Russia.

      Seeing the young participants off at the station were Deputy Governor of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Andrey Checherin; Deputy Head of ANO "More Than a Journey" Stanislav Kireev; head of the Gorky Railway, a branch of JSC Russian Railways (RZD), Sergey Dorofeevsky; Minister of Tourism and Crafts of the region Sergey Yakovlev; Minister of Education and Science of the Nizhny Novgorod Region Mikhail Puchkov; and Minister of Youth Policy of the region Svetlana Anufrieva.

      Addressing the schoolchildren and students, Andrey Checherin called the dispatch of the new special "Lessons with a Journey" train an important event and stressed that this trip is a well-deserved reward for the children’s achievements in study, sports, and patriotic activities. He wished them vivid impressions and urged them to share their experiences with their peers upon return, reminding them that respect for history, their roots, and love for the Motherland are the foundation for further development.

      Stanislav Kireev noted that acquaintance with the country’s cultural and historical heritage should be an organic part of the educational process. According to him, visiting places where key events occurred helps young people better understand national culture, feel the connection between generations, and express respect for elders. He emphasized that such trips form genuine patriotism and motivate youth to take part in preserving historical and cultural values.

      The Ministry of Education and Science of the Nizhny Novgorod Region said that the delegation includes youths from different districts of the region: tenth graders from 50 schools and first-year students from 15 colleges and technical schools. Among the participants are winners and prizewinners of the regional and final stages of the All-Russian School Olympiad, activists of the "Post No. 1" movement, participants in the All-Russian military-patriotic game "Zarnitsa 2.0," the Yunarmiya gathering "Gvardeets" of the Volga Federal District, the Spartakiad of cadet corps of the Volga Federal District "Cadet of the Volga," the All-Russian competition of local history works "Fatherland: history, culture, nature, ethnos," the museum exhibition festival "No Statute of Limitations," the public project "Heroes of the Fatherland," and other events.

      During the journey, teacher-mentors will hold history lessons for the participants right in the train cars.

      Schoolchildren and students will be given special workbooks to help better assimilate and consolidate the material.

      Accompanying staff and participants shared their expectations for the trip. Zapir Rabadanov, senior educator of the Nizhny Novgorod Cadet School named after Hero of Russia Igor Vladimirovich Gurov, reminded that cadets are the future servicemen and defenders of the country. According to him, the best pupils were selected for the trip so that they study history, know it better, and truly love the Motherland. He said he had already accompanied children to Volgograd as part of the "Lessons with a Journey" project and is confident the new trip will be no less interesting.

      Tenth-grade student Aleksandr Andryushchenko of the Cadet Boarding School named after Hero of the Russian Federation A.N. Rozhkov admitted that this is his first trip to Petersburg and said that everyone should know the history of their country. He is especially interested in seeing the city and its sights and learning more about its past.

      The "Lessons with a Journey" project launched in November 2023 at the initiative of the parent community of the Nizhny Novgorod Region. The initiative was supported by the governors of the Nizhny Novgorod and Volgograd regions, Gleb Nikitin and Andrey Bocharov. The organization of a special service to Minsk and Brest as part of the project received support from the President of the Republic of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko. The implementation of the project contributes to the development of youth tourism, which is one of the tasks of the national project "Tourism and Hospitality" initiated by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin.

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