Schoolchildren and students from 7 to 23 years old took part in the competition. They wrote essays about the valiant deeds of their peers, SVO participants, volunteers, and people who overcame difficult life situations.
The organizers of the Award are the charitable foundation “Give Good to the World”, the Russian movement of children and youth “Movement of the First”, the commission of the General Council of “United Russia” for the protection of motherhood, childhood and family support, as well as the “Young Guard of United Russia”. The organizers’ partner is the International Union of Non-Governmental Organizations “Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly”.
The “Our Hero – 2023” Award started in pilot mode in 14 regions of the country. But in total, the organizers received more than 350 works from 40 regions, including the Lugansk and Donetsk People’s Republics.
The Award ceremony was opened by Anna Kuznetsova, Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, Commissioner for Children's Rights under the President of the Russian Federation: “The most interesting thing is that when we announced this project, we only decided to try it in several regions and announced it for 14 regions of Russia. But literally in the first minutes of the start of the competition, we began to receive applications from various regions of Russia, and now among the participants there are not 14, but 40 regions. Of course, we had to strengthen our team, which selected and evaluated the works and essays submitted by our children. And we decided that starting next year the “Our Hero” project will be launched throughout Russia.”
The winners were determined in five categories: “Heroes - military personnel”, “Heroes in the profession”, “Heroes of the past”, “Heroes among us”, “Children are heroes”.
One of the laureates who was awarded with the “My Hero” prize was the Co-Chairman of the General Council of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, member of the State Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Alexandra Ochirova.
Alexandra Vasilievna Ochirova is a person worth learning more about. Born in 1949 in the village of Perevles, she became a famous poet, politician and scientist. Her childhood was not easy - she lost her parents and grew up under the supervision of her grandmother.
It is surprising that at the age of six Alexandra wrote her first poem. Later, she successfully graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy of Moscow State University and defended her dissertation at the Institute of Philosophy of the USSR Academy of Sciences.
In 1990, she founded the International Women's Center "Woman's Future", and in 1993 she was elected to the State Duma of the Russian Federation. An important point in her activity in the State Duma was the law on the rehabilitation of the Ingush people.
Alexandra Ochirova also declared herself as a poet, the author of many books and articles, who received recognition in literature and journalism. Her contribution to international humanitarian cooperation has become immutable, and she was even appointed UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
Alexandra Vasilievna’s contribution to public affairs and her desire to preserve the cultural heritage of the multinational people of Russia is also undeniable. Awards and recognition that she has received include the Order of Friendship and the Lenin Komsomol Laureate Prize.
Her words about the importance of the human dimension in history and culture became the mantra of her long career. Her mission to connect people and save humanity reflects the desire for a new and safe moral order.
The participant in the competition who nominated Alexandra Ochirova for the award, calling her a Hero, is 15-year-old Irina Chebareva from Moscow. She is a wheelchair user, champion of Russia and Belarus in wheelchair dancing. The girl also jumps with a parachute and is a media volunteer.
“I learned about Alexandra Vasilievna at one of the meetings with young people, and I realized that we have a lot in common. My heroine, just like me, was raised by her grandmother. Her values are very close to me,” shared Irina.
Co-chairman of the General Council of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, member of the State Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO, UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador said: “I have a lot of awards, titles and prizes, but this one became special because for the first time I was nominated by children. I was very touched."