Social, cultural and educational programs
The "Charity Evening with Ivan Urgant"
On February 16, 2015 a charity auction, which is annually held by the Vladimir Smirnov Foundation, took place. Traditionally, Ivan Urgant conducted the evening. Nearly a hundred guests attended the event, which was held at the fashionable restaurant "Carlson". Vladimir Pozner, the singer Oleg Gazmanov, director Alexander Sokurov, director Alexander Shane are among the guests.
A record amount of money (more than 15 million rubles) was raised during the evening.
In previous years huge sums of money were, also, collected (2.4 million rubles in 2012, 5.5 million rubles in 2013 and more than 7 million rubles in 2014).
All money is donated to rehabilitation programmes for children with special needs implemented by the Center for Curative Pedagogics (CCP). The funds collected at the previous auctions at the Center for Curative Pedagogics were spent on individual and group lessons for children with special needs, groups preparing for school, as well as an integrative camp in Valdai. We, also, managed to repair the pool where therapeutic swimming is taught. Now the programme, aimed at children suffering from serious diseases, is expected to work. They might live actively instead of staying at home.
The auction is always an entertaining event. Telling jokes Ivan Urgant created unforgettable atmosphere of the evening!
Collaboration with the Andrei Petrov Foundation
Another great partner of our Foundation is the Andrei Petrov Foundation. Our cooperation is carried out within the framework of the Summer musical evenings, which take place throughout the summer in Andrei Petrov Square, Kamennoostrovsky Avenue in St. Petersburg. We are happy to touch the memory of the beloved composer.
Cooperation with the Alexander Sokurov Foundation
The Vladimir Smirnov Public Foundation works closely with "Alexander", the fund supporting culture, art and education development. In May 2013, a DVD was released with a fully restored movie of one of the largest Russian film directors, Alexander Sokurov, called "Nothing more" (1982-1987), which depicted the anti-Hitler coalition of the USSR, USA and England and contained unique newsreel shootings of those years.
A complete restoration and release on DVD of three documentary films about Japan directed by Alexander Sokurov was a joint project of two funds. Now these three motion pictures - "Oriental Elegy" (1996), "A Humble life" (1997) and "Dolce..." (1999) – constitute the so-called "Japanese series" in the filmography of Alexander Sokurov.
The more recent result of funds’ cooperation is the release of Alexander Sokurov's restored film "The Lonely Voice of Man". This film holds a special place in the history of world cinematography, as it was Sokurov’s director thesis. The motion picture was based on the original stories "River Potudan" and "Origin of the Master" written by a well-known Russian writer Andrei Platonov.
What’s peculiar is that initially VGIK administration had decided to destroy the film. But the negative tape was successfully stolen, and so began the dramatic story of film’s rescue, which has not been completed to this day. Formally, “Lenfilm” owned the copyright to "The Lonely Voice of Man", but in reality the producers were actually Alexander Sokurov and his crew, who worked selflessly without money or resources. Film’s negative is stored in Gosfilmofond. "Alexander" Foundation with the assistance of the Vladimir Smirnov Foundation has produced a DVD based on the old standard resolution stored in the archive: together they conducted extensive work on the restoration, noise reduction and color grading of the motion picture.
As of today DVDs "Save and protect", "Stone", "Spiritual voices", "Conscription", "Nothing more", "Oriental Elegy", "A Humble life", "Dolce..." and "The Lonely voice of Man" are Russia's only legal editions of films by Alexander Sokurov.
A program to support domestic film projects on social issues
"Attention: shooting!"
The Vladimir Smirnov Foundation supports Russian filmmakers making films on social issues. Films raising serious social problems in Russia are made within the framework of the programme. The majorfilmmakers are involved in the projects. The documentary series "Without a family" is one of the completed projects directed by Elena Pogrebizhskaya, who received two national "Taffy" awards for best documentary.
The first films of the series "Mom, I'll kill you" (2013) and "The boys from the streets of Liberty" (2014) had a serious effect. As a result, the article of the Russian legislation on orphans was reconsidered.
The final part of the trilogy "Vaska" dedicated to the problems of orphanage graduates is currently being completed.
The Socio-Cultural Event Program
A series of charity events - exhibitions, concerts, auctions, performances, tours, creative workshops - in support of non-profit and charitable organizations whose activities are aimed to assist the least socially protected people.
The Vladimir Smirnov Foundation regularly conducts charity events or participates in a variety of charitable events. We organize exhibitions of art and photographs by children with disabilities, fashion shows, film festivals. For a second year in a row, the Foundation has organized a charity auction to benefit the Center for Therapeutic Teaching, a regional public organization. Last year, the auction managed to raise RUB 2.5 million, increasing to more than 5 million this year. This money will allow children with various disabilities to continue their studies at the Center in 2013, as well as go to an integrative summer camp in Valdai together with their parents.
The Charity meeting "All Together”
Director of the Vladimir Smirnov Foundation Elena Beregovaya is a member of the Board Charity Meeting "All Together”. The Charity meeting "All Together" is a non-profit partnership, bringing together Moscow charitable and volunteer organizations created at the initiative of citizens. Over the past few years private philanthropic initiatives arisen from ordinary citizens are becoming increasingly popular in Russia. Private philanthropists are being united in small organizations, which work directly with those who are in need, bypassing bureaucratic structures and other complex mechanisms of distribution of funds or resources. As a result, all the money raised, medications, blood donations come without any loss. The Charity meeting "All Together" aims to bring together these benefactors and their organizations to share experiences and resources so that to find solutions to common problems and promote the idea of private philanthropy in the country.
Raising awareness of charity
The Vladimir Smirnov Foundation provides diverse resource assistance in organizing and holding seminars, meetings, workshops as well as publishing literature and filming movies devoted to social topics. We are convinced that promotion and dissemination of means to solve pressing social problems is rather important. Therefore, we support our partners’ programs, ranging from diverse educational conferences on urgent topics and advanced training programs in the field of philanthropy to trainings and seminars. This is our work in terms of prevention of social orphanhood and supporting disabled people, children and seniors. Due to these meetings and discussions the non-profit sector exchanges experience and knowledge, allowing for many particular questions to be resolved much faster and easier.
Music Festival «Towards Vyborg»
Summer international music and poetry festival "Towards Vyborg", funded by the Vladimir Smirnov Foundation, is held by the Institute of Finland in St. Petersburg. From the late XIX to mid XX century, the Northern coast of the Gulf of Finland was a favorite leisure destination of progressive cultural community. Music sounded everywhere on the Karelian Isthmus: small bands played in parks, churches and on railway stations. These chamber music evenings soon became a respected tradition. These days our unique project fulfills the mission of the revival of cultural and historical traditions of the Karelian Isthmus and its special creative environment.
