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“Sails of the Spirit: A Way of Life 2024” — New Year Gathering with like-minds and sum-up

On December 26, the “Sails of the Spirit” project concluded its eventful year with a final gathering that brought together participants from four countries. It was a touching and inspiring celebration held in a hybrid format, combining both online and offline audiences.

The event was hosted by Father Vyacheslav Inyushkin, abbot of the Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God (Zarechny), and Inna Moreva, coordinator of the Sails of the Spirit project in Atomic Cities (Balakovo, Zarechniy, Rostov, Desnogorsk, Smolensk) and Head of the Public Information Department of the Baltic NPP Directorate (Kaliningrad).
At the start of the meeting, the hosts highlighted the main theme of the year—Sails of the Spirit as a way of life. They shared how the project has influenced their lives and discussed the traditions of the project, which were explored through a special survey allowing participants to select the most cherished traditions. Traditionally, the meeting began with the “Sails of the Spirit” anthem.

Participants then shared their personal experiences with the project, recounting how it has impacted their lives, helped them overcome challenges, and led to positive changes.
Among the speakers were Latvian yacht captain Davis Andersons, Elmira Smagulova, a correspondent for the inclusive information portal #DeFactoFM from Kazakhstan, Lutfi Siraci, a veteran of Akkuyu Nuclear and the “grandfather of peaceful nuclear energy” in Turkey, and many other participants from various regions.

The year 2024 set an absolute record for the number of unique events. Over 15 activities were held, including the “Liturgy in the Dark,” the “First Regatta in the Trans-Baikal Territory,” and the “First Volga Expedition.”

For the first time, a junior team from the Sverdlovsk region trained at Lake Tavatuy, and residents of Sinop, the northernmost city in Turkey, participated in Extrability workshops.

Thanks to the support of partners such as the State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom, АО (Joint-stock Company), Concern Rosenergoatom, Medscan Group of Companies, Udokan Copper, Rossotrudnichestvo, and many others, the project reached a new qualitative and quantitative level. This collaboration exemplified how joint efforts can transform the world around us.

In 2025, the “Sails of the Spirit” project will continue its journey, exploring new maritime horizons. As shared by the project leader, Oleg Kolpshchikov, President of ANO “White Cane,” the next destinations on the map for “Sails of the Spirit” include Kyrgyzstan, Sakhalin Island, and Brazil.
To conclude the event, participants received a delightful surprise. In the Zoom chat, everyone shared their New Year wishes and greetings. Elena Ivanova, volunteer from Surgut, compiled these wishes and used artificial intelligence to create a New Year song and video titled “With Sails of the Spirit into a Joyful New Day!”

Thank you to everyone who has been with us on this incredible journey. See you under the sails in 2025!