Tiraspol, 24 October. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. Just a week ago President Vadim Krsnoselsky was bidding farewell to young delegates going to the World Festival of Youth and Students in Sochi, and today the young people are sharing with him their impressions and emotions from participating in the international event.
Another step towards the recognition of our country had been made, the Pridnestrovians say, as our delegation became a full-fledged participant of the festival and took part in all events under the national flag.
"We were identified as an independent delgation representing Pridnestrovie. We had exclusively Pridnestrovian symbols on our badges, and we were all known as representatives of the PMR. The guys fulfilled the task of providing as much information as possible about the country, told about its multiethnic people united by creative work and honouring its traditions," said the head of the delegation, vice premier Alexey Tsurkan.
The delegates thanked the president for the opportunity to take part in such a historic event and gave Vadim Krasnoselsky a festival outfit. The young people decided to use photo and video reports to convey the festival's atmosphere. They also brought numerous awards they won in various sports competitions.
By the way, many participants remembered the Pridnestrovians. For example, future state administration specialist Dmitry Nikolayev managed to ask a question to the well-known Russian politician Vladimir Zhirinovsky and outline the issues faced by Russian compatriots living in Pridnestrovie.
"Many people ask me how I managed to do it. I remember Vladimir Nikolayevich told us before the departure: 'Guys, be brave!' And you were right. We should not miss the opportunity to speak about Pridnestrovie at all venues and from all rostrums," underscored Nikolayev. The president, in turn, noted that Zhirinovsky was a respected politician who traditionally supports Pridnestrovie and the interests of our citizens.
Anastasiya Kovtun shared her experiences of the work of an art centre, where all workshops in architecture, painting and arts were hold. "There were so many interesting things that like in a Harry Potter book you had to find a magical tool to be in several places at once. We have gained much energy, and it is very good that Pridnestrovie's youth to become part of world history, managed to make a bold claim about themselves," said Kovtun.
Several journalists participated in the Mass Media section. The journalist of the First Pridnestrovian TV channel, Anna Bugayeva, even took part in making a coverage of an airshow for a festival TV channel.
"We have learned a lot from the RT channel as there were very many speakers [from this channel]. They spoke about how to create newsbreaks, how to fill the channel's content, how to present information. We are thinking about how we can apply all this in our circumstances," said Bugayeva.
The delegates also spoke about their participation in such panels as IT, Medicine, Education, Economics, Volunteering.
The Pridnestrovians especially excelled in sports: our delegates took part in a 2017 metre race and became champions in Japanese volleyball.
The Pridnestrovians also passed Russia's physical training test — GTO (Labour and Defence Readiness), for which they received special badges. They gave one of such badges to Vadim Krasnoselsky. "Let your opponents know that our president is always ready for labour and defence!" said the delegates.
The guys spoke much about the unity of the delegation that helped them to represent the multiethnic nation of Pridnestrovie in this event. It was proud to fell Pridnestrovian while staying among thousands of young people, the delegates noted.
"I'm a Pridnestrovian. A true understanding of this did not come at once. But it has become very clear after partici[ating in the festival. Identity and sense of responsibility for their people and state cannot and must not be imposed. This should be an inner feeling of each person," said Tiraspol's designer Sergey Balta.
The president caught up the theme of national identity.
"We must feel as a Pridnestrovian nation, composed of people of different nationalities. We do not divide ourselves by colour, language or denomination. We are totally tolerant in this regard. The question of nationality is always controversial I, for example, identify myself as an Eastern Slav, but what is certain is my belonging to the Pridnestrovian people. People of 32 ethnic groups live here, and we are all Pridnestrovians," said Vadim Krasnoselsky.
The president underscored he was proud of Pridnestrovie's youth and noted it was important to keep the contacts, knowledge and skills obtained in Sochi and apply them in our country. Krasnoselsky instructed the head of the delegation to draft a document outlining the ideas and proposals of the festival participants that could be implemented in Pridnestrovie.
At the end of the meeting, a joint photo was taken of the delegates and the president in festival outfits.
