OREANDA-NEWS  On 22 September was announced the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War hosted an award ceremony of the All-Russian Contest "The 65th Anniversary of the Victory on the Kursk Salient," which was timed to the anniversary of that historical battle. Twenty winners were awarded diplomas and 50,000-ruble bonuses. The winning works are presented at a special exhibition held in the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War.

The contest, launched on April 23, was sponsored by joint efforts of United Metallurgical Company (OMK), the Central Museum of the 1941-1945 Great Patriotic War at Poklonnaya Gora (Poklonnaya Hill), and the Government of the Belgorod Region. The contestants displayed a total of 400 works, including essays, short stories, movies, songs, poems, paintings, interviews with war veterans, and other creative works dedicated to the heroes and events of the Battle of Kursk. Winners were named in the following categories: "Essays, Interviews, Reports, Op-Ed Articles, and Photographic Illustration," "Television, Radio, Print Media," "History and Local History Research," "Exposition and Exhibition Activities," "Picture by Children and Teenagers," "Compositions," "Dramatic Art," and "Art Song."

The invitees of the award ceremony included participants of the Battle of Kursk, veterans of the Great Patriotic War, representatives of governmental authorities, distinguished workers of culture, members of patriotic youth organizations, military officers, and cadets.

"There is no future for those who do not remember the past," said OMK Vice President Dmitry Chernyshev, in his ceremony speech. "We must remember people who gave us peace and happiness and who defended our Motherland to the last drop of blood. That is why the primary target audience of the contest that United Metallurgical Company organized and held in association with the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War and the Government of the Belgorod Region was young people. I believe that the Contest results will make us certain that the Great Patriotic War and the heroic deeds of our compatriots will never be forgotten."

"The patriotic action hasn't passed unnoticed throughout the nation," emphasized Vladimir Zabarovsky, Director of the Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War. "Owing to its high organizational and informational level, the Contest Regulations were brought to the attention of every region of the Russian Federation. Special Contest-related sections of OMK's and the Museum's websites were created and updated on a regular basis. A series of materials was published by the federal and regional mass media. The creative Contest generated vivid and genuine interest among young people, representatives of governmental authorities and non-profit-making organizations, and war veterans."

More than a half of the Contest winners were teenagers, students of Russian secondary comprehensive schools, special and cadet educational institutions. The winning creative works were both individual (by Valentina Baranova, age 13, Primorie Territory; Lyudmila Nikolayeva, age 15, Chuvashia Republic; Yelena Sukhareva, age 15, Belgorod Region; Sergey Verkin and Maksim Yeshmanov from Chusovoy, etc.) and collective (Class 5B of Preobrazhensky Cadet Corps No. 5, Moscow; Class 7A of Secondary Comprehensive School No. 42, Perm, etc.)

The award ceremony included a concert by the Yuri Silantiev Academic Grand Concert Orchestra and an opening of the exhibition of the Contest's winner works.