Dmitry and Svetlana Medvedev first visited the photo studio where the Prime Minister held an impromptu master-class for novice photographers who received digital cameras from him as a Christmas gift last year. The children shared their successes, spoke about their first-place finish in the national children's photography competition and showed a series of portraits made by the children in class.
The Prime Minister and his wife also visited the fashion centre where they viewed a collection of costumes styled after 18th century royal garments. According to Tatyana Marycheva, the director of the orphanage, the centre plans to take the collection to St Petersburg for the Fashion Theatre Festival, and hopes to one day participate in the international competition in Prague.
Zvyozdny has a museum featuring items made by its residents. A designated room serves as a display for the costumes made by the children, as well as their drawings, photographs and crafts made from paper and other materials. The museum also has a wall of fame featuring awards, diplomas and thank you letters.
After that Dmitry and Svetlana Medvedev also visited the special psychological release room, the library, the dance hall and the computer lab, and a residential building where rooms had been re-planned, and each section now has a recreation room, a living room, a classroom and a kitchen.
Zvyozdny is located in Ivanovo and currently accommodates 45 orphans aged from 7 to 18 years.
Dmitry Medvedev organised to have money sent to Zvyozdny for repairing the building after he first visited the orphanage on January 7, 2011. After it was renovated, Zvyozdny reopened as an institution for gifted children.
Dmitry and Svetlana Medvedev paid a second visit to the orphanage on January 7, 2012 to give Christmas greetings to the children.
The institution places great focus on teaching singing and music, fashion design and sewing; art, dancing and sport. It now includes a centre for socially rehabilitating young people who grew up in orphanages. It provides support to 20 young people who currently attend vocational training programmes.
In 2007, Zvyozdny launched a prospective adoptive parents training centre, which also provides support for foster families. In 2012, the centre served 42 prospective adoptive parents. It also works regularly with 334 foster families living in Ivanovo, as well as the Lezhnevo and Komsomolsk Municipal Districts.
After taking a walk around the property, the Prime Minister and his wife spoke with the children living in Zvyozdny over tea.
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Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:
Dmitry Medvedev: Hello! Happy New Year to everyone! Merry Christmas!
Remarks: Thank you!
Remark: We have baked cookies for you, and would like you to try them.
Dmitry Medvedev: Of course! Come on everyone. Let’s try them.
While the girls are pouring us tea, I’ll say a few words to get us through this semi-official part of our meeting quickly. I’d like to wish you Happy New Year and Merry Christmas once again and I hope that you enjoy your New Year vacations, which last fairly long in our country.
We couldn’t make it in time for Christmas this year. We usually come to see you on Christmas Day – but we are here now. The Old New Year celebrations await us. They will give us the chance to discuss our plans for 2013. Your home, which is called Zvyozdny (Stellar), looks quite different now. It’s a good, modern, beautiful building with many premises serving various purposes. However, most importantly, it’s a comfortable and a cosy place to live, and this is important for institutions of this kind. I hope that you feel good about your life here because this is important for your formative years.
I wish all of you happiness, health and success in 2013. When my wife and I come to see you, we pay tribute to your talent and the gifts of all of the people living and working here – both the children and the faculty. Each time I am amazed at the beauty of the new things that I see here, such as decorations and dresses. I went to see your museum today. And it’s nothing short of fantastic.
The government will try to do everything possible to make things wonderful here and at other places similar to this one. We faced a number of problems some time ago. But we have fewer problems now. However, this doesn’t mean that the situation at other orphanages is perfect. There are problems, such as life after leaving the orphanage, employment, further education, and housing... We will talk about all of these issues now.
Happy New Year everyone!
Remarks: Thank you!
Svetlana Medvedeva: I wish good health to you all!
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