In Naberezhnye Chelny, on the stage of one of the city's leading cultural centers, a solemn event took place, marking the culmination of the meeting of veterans of the All-Russian Student Detachments Rally. The hall, which accommodated over 400 people, brought together honorary guests, legendary builders of the past, and active participants of the modern youth movement.
A large-scale program unfolded for those gathered: words of gratitude were spoken, a ceremony for presenting state and departmental awards was held, and the evening concluded with a special performance of a play that touched the hearts of the audience.
Top officials of the country and the republic addressed the veterans and members with welcoming words. Invited to the stage to offer congratulations were the General Director of the Rostec State Corporation, Chairman of the Russian Engineering Union Sergey Chemezov, Minister of Construction and Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation Irek Fayzullin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan Alexey Pesoshin, Mayor of the city Nail Magdeev, and General Director of PJSC KAMAZ Sergey Kogogin.
Opening the series of speeches, the head of the city Nail Magdeev emphasized that Naberezhnye Chelny will forever remain grateful to those who built the city and the factories. “Today in Naberezhnye Chelny, the birthplace of the legendary KAMAZ trucks, is a great holiday. We are happy to welcome people whose youth was spent right here. Let me remind you that the construction of the largest automobile plant in the country and in Europe back in the distant 70s was an All-Union shock Komsomol-youth construction project of national importance. The country directed huge financial and human resources to build the plant and a white-stone city of half a million people in a short time. And today, dear veterans, we look to the future with optimism.
They say about construction detachment veterans: 'there is no such thing as a former detachment member.' I myself had the honor of working in a student construction detachment in the USSR during my student years, and I said yesterday: a construction detachment is a special state of mind, it is friendship, mutual assistance, and a good school of life. We have been able to carry this school through the years. In our city, KAMAZ has always been led by talented managers, true statesmen. And today, modern KAMAZ is undoubtedly proud of its leaders. On stage are the Chairman of the Board of Directors – Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation Sergey Viktorovich Chemezov and the General Director of PJSC KAMAZ – also Hero of Labor of the Russian Federation Sergey Anatolyevich Kogogin. Thanks to their skillful leadership, KAMAZ is successfully operating today, and the fate of KAMAZ is the fate of the entire city and its residents.”
Sergey Chemezov noted the inseparable connection between the country's industrial development and the student detachment movement: “Veterans of the construction detachment movement laid the foundation on which not only KAMAZ but also many industrial enterprises of Tatarstan stand today. Your labor, energy, and dedication turned a small town on the banks of the Kama in Naberezhnye Chelny into a major industrial center.
The traditions of student detachments live on and develop. Over the past three years, more than 6,000 students have been employed at KAMAZ. Young specialists assemble trucks, cabs, and engines, and master blue-collar professions. Such an opportunity is extremely important for the formation and development of the personality of the younger generation. The Rostec Corporation and KAMAZ support this movement, considering it an important part of the production culture. It is a great honor for us to be part of your history.”
Minister of Construction Irek Fayzullin: “I would like to wish the 400-year-old city of Naberezhnye Chelny and KAMAZ, which released its first product 50 years ago, further prosperity. After all, a shock Komsomol construction project was formed here, which brought together up to 5,000 students from different cities of our great country. I remember how we participated in the agitation brigade competition at the Energetikov Palace of Culture. Colleagues, I want to wish you all a good mood, success, health, and prosperity to the city.”
Prime Minister of Tatarstan Alexey Pesoshin thanked the veterans for their contribution to the development of the region and the industrial giant, noting that the plant has always been and remains a forge of personnel where labor dynasties are honored: “The Government of the Republic of Tatarstan is glad to welcome you to the All-Russian Rally of Student Detachment Veterans. It is symbolic that the rally is taking place in the city of Naberezhnye Chelny, which is celebrating two landmark dates this year: 400 years since its founding and 50 years since the release of the first KAMAZ truck. Today, people who built the plant and the city, and established traditions and the movement, have gathered on the banks of the Kama.
The construction of KAMAZ became one of the largest All-Union shock Komsomol construction projects, where young people learned responsibility, mutual assistance, and respect for labor. Many of them linked their fate with the plant, and we highly value your contribution to the development of the republic's industry. Tatarstan and KAMAZ today are the flagship of Russian mechanical engineering, one of the key enterprises in the country. This year, the All-Russian production project will be held at KAMAZ for the fifth time, which will bring together more than 300 students from 17 regions.
It is gratifying that the traditions of student detachments are receiving a new breath of life. Today, Russian student detachments unite more than 400,000 participants from 86 regions; they work on key construction projects in the country – from nuclear power plants to the Baikal-Amur Mainline. And in this lives the same spirit of responsibility, mutual assistance, and the desire to be useful to society.”
The culmination of the celebration was the awards ceremony. Sergey Chemezov presented letters of gratitude and departmental awards to the heads of divisions of PJSC KAMAZ and industry activists. Awards were received by the Director of the Automobile Plant of PJSC KAMAZ Dmitry Borodinov, Director of the Foundry Plant Sergey Garanin, Director of the Engine Plant Anatoly Filin, Deputy Director for Personnel of the Engine Plant Aida Gazizova, Chairman of the Youth Council of PJSC KAMAZ Alexey Tarabukin, Head of the Information Technology and Educational Solutions Group of the Association of Additional Professional Education “MC PK Mechanical Engineering” Dmitry Arapov, Deputy Head of the Industrial Marketing Department of JSC POZIS Ilya Roshchupkin, Chief Specialist of ROSPROFPROM – PPO “KZTM” Kamila Usmanova, Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Youth All-Russian Public Organization “Russian Student Detachments” Vasily Islayev, and Head of the Production Direction of the Student Detachments Headquarters of the Volga Federal District Elena Naumova.
Irek Fayzullin presented the “For the Development of Student Construction Detachments” badges. The awards were given to a veteran of the student detachment movement of the Altai Regional Branch Igor Shakhmatov, Chairman of the Board of the Arkhangelsk Regional Branch Yury Komolyatov, veterans of the Tatarstan Regional Branch Vladimir Brusovankin and Valery Ilyushenko, as well as Advisor to the General Director of the Joint Stock Company “Scientific and Production Association (Radioelectronics) named after V.I. Shimko” Vladimir Gilmutdinov, General Director of the Joint Stock Company “Tatagropromstroy” Irek Zakirov, Chairman of the Board of ROON “Zakal” for the Republic of Tatarstan Rastem Latypov, Director of LLC Scientific and Production Enterprise “Agromax” Alexander Fokin, Director of FFPSK “Cathedral Mosque” Uel Khusainov, General Director of CJSC “NOIL-holding” Nail Yagudin, and Mayor of Naberezhnye Chelny Nail Magdeev.
In addition, letters of gratitude from the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation were presented to veterans of the student detachment movement: Andrey Zhilin from the Arkhangelsk Regional Branch, as well as representatives of the Tatarstan Branch – Makki Badretdinov, Asiya Vasilkova, Alexander Volkov, Anatoly Maksimov, Gennady Martynov, Anatoly Molostov, Flyura Fokina, and Damir Shayakhmetov.
Then, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Youth Policy Mikhail Kiselev, State Duma Deputy Alfiya Kogogina, and Head (Commander) of the Central Headquarters of Russian Student Detachments Yaroslav Zubashchenko were invited to the stage. They presented the “For Active Work in Student Detachments” honorary badges to veterans of the Tatarstan Regional Branch: Maginur Valeyeva, Rushaniya Vakhitova, Flyura Ildarkhanova, Alexander Piskunov, Nikolay Ignatyev, Farid Basharov, Leonid Ananyev, and Rafil Ayupov.
Next, the floor was taken by the Minister of Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan Azat Kadyrov and Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Denis Ashirov. Letters of gratitude from Rosmolodezh for active civic stance were received by the Deputy Director of the Institute of Management and Economics of the Omsk State Transport University Alexander Pateyuk, Head of the Department for Work with Educational Organizations and Networking of the St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution “Center for Support of Youth Initiatives ‘VECTOR’” Vladimir Rozov, and a specialist of the staff of the Perm Regional Branch of Russian Student Detachments Irina Artyukhina.
Then, the “For Contribution to the Development of Student Detachments of the Republic of Tatarstan” honorary badges were presented. This award was given to movement veterans Viktor Kuznetsov, Andrey Yasko, Ramil Turayev, Fidail Garayev, Vladimir Nikolayev, Vladimir Malafeyev, Viktor Gurevich, Nuri Mustafayev, Uel Khusainov, Vasil Khazeyev, as well as the Head of the Zainsky Municipal District Razif Karimov and the Head of the Menzelinsky Municipal District Aydar Salakhov.
A special moment of the evening was a greeting from Hero of Socialist Labor, Chairman of the Council of Foremen of PJSC KAMAZ in 1983-1986, Chairman of the Tatar Regional Council of Trade Unions in 1986-1989, Secretary of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions in 1989-1991, First Deputy Chairman of the General Confederation of Trade Unions in 1991-1992 Gennady Bashtanyuk and Chief of Staff of the All-Union shock Komsomol construction project “KAMAZ” in Naberezhnye Chelny (1976-1980) Nail Yagudin, who addressed the hall with parting words, reminding everyone of the great history of the student movement.
The official part smoothly flowed into the cultural one. The final chord of the evening was a performance of the poignant play “That Very One” – a production about friendship, loyalty, and dreams, which found a lively response from the audience. The hall applauded standing, and the artists were seen off with thunderous ovations.
The evening in Naberezhnye Chelny proved once again: the memory of the labor exploits of the veterans is alive, and their experience and spirit of brotherhood are passed on to new generations of members of Russian Student Detachments. Support for youth initiatives, the development of student detachments, and patriotic education of the younger generation are implemented within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children.”