The Jubilee V Congress of Small Towns of Russia and Belarus took place in Diveevo.

      On August 17, 2026, 10:31 Society NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" - Inna Koroleva The anniversary V Congress of small towns (18+) of the Nizhny Novgorod region (Russia) and the Grodno region (Republic of Belarus) took place in Diveevo. The large-scale forum, which gathered about 250 participants and united representatives of government, business, and youth from the two fraternal countries, was attended by a correspondent from NIA "Nizhny Novgorod." The anniversary congress was held in the fourth abode of the Most Holy Theotokos, near the walls of the Holy Trinity Serafimo-Diveevsky Monastery. The choice of location is not accidental. Diveevo is a symbol of spiritual strength, a place of power where the boundaries between people are erased, giving way to the unity of spirit. It is here, at the relics of St. Seraphim of Sarov, that hundreds of thousands of pilgrims seek support every year, so here, according to the organizers' idea, the discussion of the future of small towns takes on special depth and meaning. Let us remind you that in its five years of history, the congress has already become a good tradition. Previously, the meeting venues were the cities of Mosty (2025), Semyonov (2024), Zelva (2023), and Vacha (2022). According to Russian tradition, the guests of the forum were greeted with bread and salt.

      The main theme of this year's congress was personnel policy: training and retention of specialists in small towns in the fields of culture, sports, and tourism. Participants worked in four thematic sections dedicated to staffing local government bodies, attracting young specialists to the agricultural sector, personnel policy in the field of culture and tourism, as well as the role of youth in preserving historical and cultural heritage. Arzamas is known for its historical wooden estates of the 19th century and unique carved, painted window frames. Participants in the section "The Role of Youth from Russia and Belarus in Preserving Historical and Cultural Heritage and Establishing Intergenerational Dialogue" were invited to try their hand at painting window frames in the traditions of Arzamas masters.

      During a walk along the main pedestrian street of Arzamas, participants learned about the history of the city and immersed themselves in the atmosphere of the historical quarter. Many houses have preserved brick decor, historical facades, and painted window frames. These window frames represent a complex lace-like "wooden lace" with deep volumetric carvings, where decorative patterns are combined with protective symbols - the sun, waves, and female fertility signs - and are distinguished by a special "merchant" scale reminiscent of the decoration of stone palaces.

      The street leads directly to the main square of Arzamas - Cathedral Square. It is home to the Resurrection Cathedral. It is an outstanding monument of Russian classicism from the first half of the 19th century, built in honor of the victory in the Patriotic War of 1812. Its visit revealed the deep spiritual foundation of the city. The cathedral reminded that true heritage is unthinkable without a spiritual dimension: it connects generations and transmits moral ideals.

      The section meeting continued the program in the historical center of Arzamas. Participants discussed already successful practices of engaging youth in preserving historical and cultural heritage, the connection of times and generations through youth labor collectives, and the experience of youth movements in creating intergenerational projects. The Minister of Youth Policy of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Svetlana Anufrieva, noted that the region is among the top five leaders in implementing youth policy. The emphasis in the implementation of the national project "Youth and Children" in the region is placed on patriotic education.

      "What is interesting to a young person at 14 becomes secondary by 20, and by 30, completely different interests and motivations arise. Therefore, it is very important for us to work with everyone who accompanies a young person on their path to becoming," the minister emphasized.

      The results of the section were summarized by the chairwoman of the Grodno Regional Council of Deputies, Elena Vasilyevna Pasyuta, and the chairman of the Legislative Assembly of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Yevgeny Borisovich Lyulin. They noted that it is youth today that becomes the main link between the past and the future, and such meetings on land endowed with special spiritual strength allow building a dialogue between generations on a solid foundation of common values and historical memory. Earlier, we already told what can be seen in Arzamas in one day and why the city is called the goose capital. NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" has channels on Telegram and MAX. Subscribe to stay updated on the main events, exclusive materials, and timely information. Copyright © 1999—2025 NIA "Nizhny Novgorod". When reprinting, a hyperlink to NIA "Nizhny Novgorod" is mandatory. This resource may contain materials 18+.