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Large families from Kaluga, Volgograd, Omsk and Amur regions, Ingushetia, Perm Territory, as well as the Yamal-Nenets and Nenets autonomous areas attended the meeting.

The Order of Parental Glory is awarded to parents (adoptive parents) who are raising or have already raised seven or more children, ensuring an appropriate level of care for their health, education and physical, spiritual and moral development.

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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, my friends. Hello.

As has become a good tradition, today, on June 1, International Children's Day, we honour families awarded the Order of Parental Glory. I believe today is also the Global Day of Parents, which is probably a coincidence. And first of all, I would like to wish all the best to you, to all citizens of Russia on this wonderful holiday.

Parental love and care is what each and every child needs most, no doubt, a close-knit family where mutual understanding and respect for each other prevail. These are exactly the treasured values that are incredibly vividly manifested in your close-knit large families. They are full of this undimmed, inexhaustible parental love, and every day, without exception, is devoted to children, to their education and harmonious development.

This involves a never-ending titanic effort, ever-present care and responsibility. But at the same time, this gives you happiness that nothing compares to – the chance to see how a person grows and matures, to enjoy their victories, successes and achievements together with your children.

Large families with many children keep and pass on the traditions of generosity and everlasting values such as compassion, friendship, mutual assistance and diligence. These same values become important moral supports for your children, a guideline for their entire adult life.

It is very important that you inspire others with your example. I am sure that looking at you, younger people start thinking about having many children in their family someday. There are also such families among my close friends. This is truly wonderful, because a family with many children is the foundation of Russia's future. It is a continuation of our thousand-year history as a country, as a nation, as a single people.

I would like to repeat that the absolute priorities of our policy have been and always will be support to families with children and creating good conditions for bringing up children and for self-fulfilment of the younger generations. These provisions are directly fixed in the updated Constitution of Russia. They will be reflected in practice and implemented in all of our national projects and programmes. We will continuously intensify our efforts in this area and focus additional resources on these tasks.

As I said in the Address to the Federal Assembly, now the Government is facing the task of making the entire system of family support as comprehensive, understandable, efficient and consistent as possible. The work should be organised to make sure that parents and families know well what benefits and payments they are entitled to, to enable them to get paid without additional formalities and nerve-racking procedures, and without queueing up at various agencies. People must be sure that even if their family finds itself in a predicament for some reason, the state will always be there for them. It will always provide help and support.

I expect the regional and local authorities to also expand their family support programmes, primarily for large families with many children, and to promptly respond to their problems and needs.

Finally, our efforts to improve the quality and accessibility of education are directly linked with our support for families and childhood. I am referring, in part, to the construction and refurbishment of schools, kindergartens and nurseries in small towns and rural areas, and the formation of an all-round space for the development of children and their self-fulfilment. Children must be able to reveal their talents and choose their own destiny in life. Every young person and citizen should have the opportunity to become an accomplished person. This is very important for all families, all parents and children, for all of us. Let me say it again, this is because they are Russia’s future.

Friends,

Today, we communicate via videoconference. Unfortunately, the threats created by the pandemic are still here. We are gradually overcoming this situation but there are still many dangers and worries in this respect. A trip across the entire country, even for such a major event, is still fraught with unjustified risk, especially for large families like yours. Therefore, I would like to ask you again: please take care of yourselves, your children, your near and dear ones.

I would like to wish you a happy holiday and congratulate you on receiving the award, although your best and biggest award is always with you – your children and your families.

I would like to send my special, warmest greetings to those who were born on this day and who are, I hope, in contact with us. I am referring to Alina Plyusnina, who turned nine, so my best wishes and greetings for her and also for Ismail Marziyev, who turned 14. Happy birthday to you both!

Now let us go over to our discussion.

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