Volunteers of MIREA – Russian Technological University (RTU MIREA) have returned from the Katunsky State Nature Biosphere Reserve

This year, the demand for domestic tourism in Altai has increased threefold, and therefore volunteers of RTU MIREA have a lot of work to do. For 10 days, they cleared off the paths leading to the Poperechnoe and Verkhnee Multinskoe lakes, collected garbage, and assisted in the construction of tourist camps. The team was fully equipped, had all the necessary protective furnishing with the account of the current epidemiological situation.

Students stayed in the territory of the central estate of the reserve in the village of Ust-Koksa. Exciting excursions were planned for them on their days off. One of them created by Raisa Pavlovna Kuchuganova, the Honored Teacher of Russia, was to the Museum of the History of the Uimon Valley. The museum is located in the village of Verkhniy Uimon, it was founded in 1786 by Old Believers, settlers from Kuznetsk region and Bukhtarma.

The students also visited the State Museum-Reserve of the Roerichs. In 1926, Nicholas Roerich stayed in Upper Uimon while on his Central Asian expedition he searched for the enigmatic Belovodye (White Waters land of freedom, a dreamland of old believers – tr.).

The volunteers of RTU MIREA were also able to get to know the Altai culture at a master class on traditional Altai tea-making with talkan and delicious boorsoks. These are the names for a local traditional dish in the form of small balls that are deep fried in oil or fat.

“Most of all I enjoyed the performance of a kaichy, a throat-singing performer. It’s amazing when he sings with his throat and, at the same time, gritting his teeth, plays the komus”, – shared his impressions Vladimir Andrievsky, head of the group.

Before leaving, the administration of the Katunsky State Natural Biosphere Reserve presented certificates of acknowledgement to each participant in the volunteer expedition. It is noteworthy that this is the fourth joint volunteer project of the reserve and RTU MIREA.

This year, the students were accompanied by the film crew of the Kultura TV channel, which together with the Russian Knowledge Society is working on a series of documentaries called Volunteers. The series will tell the story of young people who combine volunteer work with exciting adventures in the most picturesque, inaccessible and exotic places in Russia.

The main goal of the film series is to show how such expeditions help to educate the younger generation in the spirit of respect for the nature and history of Russia, contribute to the formation of a real volunteer – a caring person who is always ready to help other people.