The final of the All-Russian Mentors' Competition "To Be, Not to Seem! - 2025" has begun in Kazan.

      From October 11 to 17, the final of the All-Russian Mentors’ Competition “To Be, Not to Seem! - 2025” is taking place in Kazan. Participants will have to demonstrate their competencies and undergo competitive trials. The results will determine the names of 100 winners. The aim of the competition is to improve the mechanisms of patriotic education aimed at developing the mentoring sector, which corresponds to the objectives of the national project “Youth and Children.”

      “This year more than 70 thousand applications were submitted to the Rospatriot Center of Rosmolodezh’s contest ‘To Be, Not to Seem,’ and 400 mentors from 79 regions of the country reached the final. Based on the results, 100 winners will enter the personnel reserve for youth policy and receive support for their projects. Mentors also include young servicemen; 60 participants of the SMO reached the final. Our servicemen are real examples of citizenship, service and responsibility; by their personal example they show true love and devotion to the Motherland. All the participants who reached the final of the competition are the backbone of Russia’s patriotic education system, and we are grateful to each of them for their constructive work and the choice that underlines their concern for the fate of the country, because the future unquestionably belongs to children and youth,” said the head of Rosmolodezh, Grigory Gurov.

      The final of the largest mentors’ competition in Russia will last seven days. During this time contenders for the title of project winner will undergo competitive trials, a military-sports game, as well as educational, cultural and atmospheric programs. Within the program, mentors will also have to demonstrate their competencies and get practical experience in organizations and centers working with children and youth.

      Among the finalists: 80 representatives each in the nominations “Mentor-Leader” and “Mentor in Service,” 90 people each in the nominations “Beginning Mentor” and “Experienced Mentor,” as well as 60 participants in the nomination “SMO Mentor” for participants and veterans of the special military operation.

      “The final of the competition in Kazan is a powerful impetus for the development of the mentoring system in Russia. Thanks to the participants — our spokespeople who will disperse to their regions and share their experience — the replication of best practices is ensured. Mentors who are combat veterans play a special role today. Their participation is a clear confirmation of generational continuity in the system of patriotic education. When Victory comes, it will be the mentors who will have to lead the generation of winners, help to comprehend the feat and build the future. Russia is rich in such people whose choice is to be, not to seem,” emphasized the director of the Rospatriot Center of Rosmolodezh, Elena Belikova.

      During the program, the finalists will also meet with well-known figures: People’s Artist of Russia Edgard Zapashny, popular writer and screenwriter Oleg Roy, and well-known TV journalist Alexander Smol. They will share their mentoring experience and discuss participants’ questions.

      How the mentoring system is developing in the Republic of Tatarstan was described by the Minister for Youth Affairs of Tatarstan, Azat Kadyrov.

      “The All-Russian Mentors’ Competition ‘To Be, Not to Seem! — 2025’ has become a platform for demonstrating the best practices in educating the younger generation. Mentors possess unique qualities and competencies necessary for effective work with youth. The winners of the competition will be able to become partners of regional authorities, helping to solve the most important tasks of civic-patriotic education by passing on rich experience and valuable knowledge to the younger generation. It is precisely through such interaction that we will be able to strengthen the link between generations, preserve cultural values and form a responsible attitude among young people toward their future and the fate of the Fatherland,” he said.

      Note that seven people represent the Republic of Tatarstan in the competition final.

      Among those evaluating the contestants are experienced experts, mentors in the civic-patriotic and military-patriotic spheres, as well as winners of last year’s competition.

      “For the ‘WARRIOR’ Center the contest ‘To Be, Not to Seem!’ is one of the most important projects in which we participate as a co‑organizer. We provided methodological support and expertise at all stages, and today 26 of our specialists are involved in the final, with another five representing the Center in the fight for victory. I am confident that the competition will help identify mentors who will bring up more than one generation of young patriots ready to love and defend their Motherland,” said the director of the WARRIOR Center, Dmitry Shevchenko.

      Andrey Mordvinov represents Tatarstan in the nomination “Experienced Mentor,” is a member of the coordinating council of the Search Movement of Russia in the Volga Federal District, and works on perpetuating the memory of those who died defending the Fatherland. He notes that there is a need among the younger generation for educational meetings that discuss not only feats during the Great Patriotic War but also contemporary events — when the participants themselves will explain which geopolitical issues are being addressed in the SMO.

      “The contest ‘To Be, Not to Seem! - 2025’ is one of the main events on my mentoring path. I have devoted a lot of time to self-development in military affairs. When the special operation began, I could not remain on the sidelines. I served in the Donetsk People’s Republic and received several medals, state and departmental awards, for combat merits. As deputy company commander for military-political work I pass on experience, values of patriotism and love of the Motherland not in words but in deeds. Thanks to the competition I received many tools for practical activity so that I can apply my experience from military service in work with the younger generation,” said one of the project participants, Alexander Savin from Nizhny Novgorod.

      The competition “To Be, Not to Seem” is being held for the second year running by the Rospatriot Center of Rosmolodezh at the instruction of the President of Russia. The final of the competition is taking place with the support of the Ministry for Youth Affairs of the Republic of Tatarstan.

      You can learn more on the official contest resources “To Be, Not to Seem! - 2025” on Telegram and VKontakte.

      More news about the event:

      - Finalists of the contest “To Be, Not to Seem” in Kazan compete in military training

       400 finalists of the All-Russian Mentors’ Competition “To Be, Not to Seem” from 79 subjects of the Russian Federation are participating today in a military-sports game. 11:57 12.10.2025 IA Tatar‑inform — Kazan

      - The final of the All-Russian Mentors’ Competition “To Be, Not to Seem! - 2025” has started in Kazan

       From October 11 to 17, the final of the All-Russian Mentors’ Competition “To Be, Not to Seem! - 2025” is taking place in Kazan. 10:46 12.10.2025 Ministry for Youth Affairs — Kazan

      - “They are carriers of values for youth”: the finals of the mentors’ contest have started in Kazan

       400 participants of the mentors’ competition “To Be, Not to Seem” arrived in Kazan from across Russia — the capital of Tatarstan became the venue for the competition final. 23:50 11.10.2025 IA Tatar‑inform — Kazan

      - The final of the mentors’ contest “To Be, Not to Seem” was solemnly opened in Kazan

       Today in Kazan the opening ceremony of the final of the All-Russian Mentors’ Competition for patriotic education “To Be, Not to Seem” took place. 22:47 11.10.2025 IA Tatar‑inform — Kazan

      News from neighboring regions on the topic:

      - Tomsk mentors are participating in the final of the All-Russian contest “To Be, Not to Seem!”

       Today, October 11, the final of the All-Russian contest “To Be, Not to Seem!” starts in Kazan. 09:41 11.10.2025 Administration of Tomsk Region — Tomsk

      - Young employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Khakassia and their mentors took part in the contest

       In the professional skills contest, 11 young specialists of the department whose service in the penal system does not exceed three years, as well as 11 of their mentors, competed. 18:53 10.10.2025 Newspaper Khakasiya — Abakan

      - A participant of the personnel project “Heroes of Penza Region” will represent the region in the final of the All-Russian Mentors’ Competition

       Participant of the personnel project “Heroes of Penza Region” Andrey Stepanov will represent the region in the final of the All-Russian Mentors’ Competition “To Be, Not to Seem!”, which will be held in Kazan from October 11 to 18 and will bring together 400 people. 12:19 10.10.2025 IA PenzaNews — Penza

      - In Perm, a unit of the National Guard will become a center for patriotic education of youth

       A unit of the Volga Order of Zhukov District of the National Guard of the Russian Federation (Perm) will become a center for patriotic education of youth and training in military competencies. 10:50 10.10.2025 National Guard — Perm