📝 Detailed information
🏢 About the local organisation
Work camp is relocating and it is the third year NGO Mir Tesen will organize it. There are many historical and cultural heritage sites, which were built in 12-19 centuries. Orthodox Monasteries are the great part of them. Many of the Monasteries are damaged; especially the landscapes and
interiors and now they are being restored. These objects are located in the beautiful landscapes and untouched nature near the lakes. Therefore, it is a unique workcamp for volunteers, who want to get in touch with the spirit of history and mystic of Orthodox Monasteries. So, it will be possible to discuss different religions with monks. The big advantage of this workcamp is an opportunity to see both the imperial city St.Petersburg and the real Orthodox Monasteries. During this workcamp the volunteers can visit and work in several the most famous Monasteries. For example, Saint Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg that was founded by one of the most outstanding tsar of Russia Peter the First in 1710, Coastal Monastery of St. Sergius located in the suburb of St. Petersburg, in Strelna and the other famous Cheremenetsky Monastery. It is placed in Leningradrad region near the top of the island on a leveled hill, surrounded by Cheremenetsky Lake.
💼 What the programme involves
Volunteers will be involved in the variety of activities. They will collect vegetables and fruits
(potatoes, apples), help priors, and restore monasteries. Besides, volunteers will be engaged in improving gardens: take care of harvest and clean the paths. The work will be combined with a cultural program.
🏠 Accommodation on site
Because of the camp mobility, participants will live in several places during the camp: for 2-3 days in each monastery in St.-Petersburg and in Leningrad region. Host organization provides a basic condition accommodation (wooden house/school/office/dormitory/rental flat/pilgrim hotel) and food. More information will be announced in Infosheet later.
📍 About the location
St-Petersburg is a cultural capital of Russia. Volunteers will have an opportunity during the
weekend to visit numerous museums, theatres, galleries and exhibitions, country residences of Emperors, Grand Princes and grandees: Peterhof – city of fountains (www.peterhofmuseum.ru), Lomonosov, Tsarskoye Selo (www.tzar.ru), Pavlovsk (www.pavlovskmuseum.ru) and just restored palace in Gatchina. Also at this time of the year, the city hosts a variety of festivals, concerts and folk events. At the monastery sites, volunteers will be able to take boats for little trips, swim in the lake, go fishing or pick different berries, drink tea from samovar and even go to the banya. Sometimes it will be also possible to discuss different religions with monks of the Monasteries. In addition, there will be organized sport activities, meeting with local people and evenings of international cuisine will be organized, so it would be great if volunteers bring their traditional recipes and food.
⚠️ Requirements
Volunteers should bring working clothes, gloves and sleeping bags. Besides, it would be great to take something special from their countries (photos, food or small flags and souvenirs) for international party in the workcamp and demonstrate as special features of home country. The museums fees and local transport expenses are not going to be covered, volunteers will have to pay on their own. Due to the euroruble, currency this year the journey will be rather cheap.
ℹ️ Additional information
This year jorney to Russia will be rather cheap.