Development of local communities

We cooperate regionally in strategic social programmes in areas such as employment and career guidance, youth policy, health service, supporting culture and sports, and assisting vulnerable sections of the population. We work mainly through agreements with regional authorities.

In 2010, we allocated US$600,000 to developing the infrastructure, education, health service, culture and sports in Vorkuta under a social partnership agreement between the Vorkuta Administration and Vorkutaugol. Vorkutaugol backed the 12th Spartakiad of Northern People and the summer health improvement programme for children. In addition, we finance two major social facilities in the city: Universal Sport Center Olymp and the Miners’ Palace of Culture.

Karelsky Okatysh annually finances the upkeep of the cultural and sports centre Friendship, with more than 90,000 people attending various events. It also provided financial support for children’s educational institutions, sport clubs and schools, organisations for disabled people and veterans. In 2010, it supported important musical events in Kostomuksha, such as the international folklore festival Kanteletar, the International Festival of Chamber Art, the Sergey Ozhigov Art Song Festival, and the International Rock Festival Nord Session.

Olkon finances the youth leisure centre Polar Star, one of the most important social facilities in the city. It also supports various festivals, sports and cultural events, which attract a considerable part of the Olenegorsk population.

The non-profit partnership Urban Development Agency, which we set up jointly with the Mayor's Office in 1999, to encourage small and medium-sized businesses, is performing successfully. Its programmes provide all-round support for beginning and experienced entrepreneurs at all stages, from the conception of a business idea and development of a business plan, to consultancy. The results of its activities in 2010 included 692 new enterprises and 3,372 new jobs; also, 1,144 start-up entrepreneurs were trained and 432 business promotion events held.

We supported the First International Festival of Young European Cinema, VOICES, held in Vologda and Cherepovets, which has become one of the milestones of the Year of France in Russia. The festival introduced spectators to young independent European cinema, contributing to pan-European culture.

In support of historical and cultural heritage, we continue to cooperate with the Russian Museum, the Tretyakov Gallery and the Bolshoi Theatre. Among joint projects with the Russian Museum are the exhibitions A Hymn to Labor, Russian Advertisement Poster, Holy Russian Lands; with the Tretyakov Gallery – A. Deineka. Work, Build and not Whine!, The Whole World is a Theater. Prints from F.M. Larionov’s Collection. We backed the premiere ballet performance of XIX-XX: Petipa/Forsythe/Balanchine in the Bolshoi Theater. A theatrical festival named the Gold Mask was held in Latvia, Riga, for the sixth time, and in 2010 Cherepovets saw for the first time the festival’s best shows.

In 2010, cooperation with Sergey Andriyaka’s Watercolour School gave rise to a regional exhibition project Master and Student, which involved the presentation of paintings by artists-schoolmasters and their students in Balakovo, Olenegorsk and Vorkuta; also, watercolour painting master classes were held.

In 2010, we continued our programme The Road Home, for the comprehensive prevention of child neglect and social orphanhood in Cherepovets. The programme’s 2010 results included 13 child abandonments prevented, threats to the life and health of 910 minors eliminated, 20 orphans placed in foster families, and 4,202 minors receiving social-psychological support.