On January 19, at the Museum of Artillery, Engineering and Signal Corps of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, the results of the contest “Man of the Year 2020” were summed up. St. Petersburg public figure and president of the charity foundation of the same name Grachya Pogosyan was recognized as a laureate in the nomination “Social Responsibility of Business”.
It is worth noting that the contests “Man of the Year” and “Woman of the Year” traditionally draw conclusions on the eve of the main - male and female - holidays. Competitions are held by St. Petersburg Foundation for Support of Social and Cultural Initiatives “New Height” under the program “St. Petersburg and Petersburgers” for 4 years. And since 2018 - they are held with a support of St. Petersburg Government for the first time.
This year, participants competed in ten categories: tourism, industry and construction, armed forces and law enforcement, social work, urban economy, physical education and sports, medicine, education and science, culture and art, social responsibility of business. 115 applications were submitted. The best of the best were chosen from them, which was not an easy task. As a result, the jury determined the winners, as well as those who were awarded second and third places.
The solemn part began under the introduction of the flags of Russia and St. Petersburg. The ceremony was opened by the vice-governor of St. Petersburg - Anna Mityanina. She greeted all those gathered on behalf of the Governor of St. Petersburg Alexander Beglov and emphasized that such events allow us to note the best representatives of St. Petersburg male community, which make a huge contribution to the city development.
Irina Smolina, president of St. Petersburg Foundation for Support of Social and Cultural Initiatives “New Height”, noted that the jury selected finalists according to special criteria for achievements in various fields of activity over the past year. Participants provided a portfolio of completed projects, data on awards and rewards. In particular, this year Mikhail Rakhlin - the honored trainer of Russia, the founder of the Judo Support and Development Fund named in honour of Anatoly Rakhlin won the nomination “Physical Culture and Sport”. Yuri Alexandrov Opera director, art director of St. Petersburg Chamber Musical Theater “Petersburg Opera” won the nomination “Culture and Art”; and philanthropist Grachya Pogosyan won the nomination “Social Responsibility of Business”.
The ceremony turned out to be exciting and very touching. The awards were decorated with performances by St. Petersburg artists of various genres. The highlight was the performance of the Honored Artist of Russia, singer Taisiya Kalinchenko, who performed several favorite songs of war years, which so harmoniously sounded in the walls of the Museum of Artillery of the Engineering and Signal Corps of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation.
Dina Nikiforova
Author photo
The motto of G.M. Pogosyan: Treat your Fatherland and your country as your home.
Reference data:
Grachya Misakovich Pogosyan is an Honorary Citizen of Kirovsky District of Leningrad Region, Honorary Member of the “Residents of the besieged Leningrad” society, Kirovsk, Leningrad Region, Honorary Member of the “Residents of the besieged Leningrad” society in St. Petersburg, Honorary Member of the International Organization of Leningrad War Veterans and Military Service veterans - fellow soldiers.
He has been conducting his charity work for more than 15 years, which began with the support of veterans and residents of the besieged Leningrad of Kirovsky District of Leningrad Region in the 90s of the last century. And he still helps and supports public organizations of veterans and residents of the besieged Leningrad of Kirovsky district of Leningrad region as well as those of St. Petersburg.
Since then, more than 200 objects of cultural, historical and spiritual significance have been installed, restored and reconstructed on his initiative and at the expense of. More than 100 monuments erected by the philanthropist are dedicated to the events and heroes of the Great Patriotic War. Over a dozen books and documentaries of various subjects were published.
Over 50 projects were implemented by the forces of Grachya Pogosyan and his charitable foundation just within the territory of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region.
For such an extensive charity work in 2019 Grachya Pogosyan was awarded a state award - the badge of distinction “For beneficence” by a decree of the President of Russia V.V. Putin.
Projects implemented in St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region:
2004 - Grachya Pogosyan carried out repairs of the office as well as staffing with furniture and office equipment for the “Residents of the besieged Leningrad” society of Kirovsky district of Leningrad region.
In 2010 - he installed a khachkar for Soviet soldiers at the Sinyavinsky Heights memorial, Kirovsky District, Leningrad Region. Khachkar became the first monument installed on the International Alley of Glory.
In 2011 - the memorial “Worship Cross with a Lamp” was built at the Museum-Diorama “Breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad” at a place of a breakthrough of the siege of Leningrad, in Kirovsk, Leningrad region. Later it turned out that the church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker was on this place until the 30s of the last century.
2011 - overhaul of the library reading room of St. Petersburg Orthodox Theological Academy as a sign of friendship with “Gevorgyan” Theological Seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin.
2012 - funded a purchase of medical equipment for treatment of children's vision for a state budgetary preschool educational institution (GBDOU) of kindergarten No. 95 of Kalininsky district of St. Petersburg.
2012 - sponsored a project of a children's town built in Pushkin city, St. Petersburg.
2012 the tombstone of Lieutenant General V.G. Madatov was restored in the Necropolis of Artists of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, St. Petersburg.
In 2012 - a khachkar to Soviet soldiers from the Republic of Armenia was installed and opened at the Nevsky Pyatachok memorial, Kirovsky District, Leningrad Region.
In 2012 - a facade of the exhibition hall of the Museum-Reserve “Breakthrough of the Siege of Leningrad” was repaired by the forces of Pogosyan construction organization in Kirovsk, Leningrad Region.
In 2012 - he carried out construction works aimed at creation the basis for BOT (armored firing point) on the territory of the Leningrad Blockade Breakthrough Museum.
In 2012 - he initiated a project on installation an Orthodox chapel with a bell tower opposite the Piskaryovskoye Memorial Cemetery, beyond the Avenue of the Unconquered and along the axes from the “Mother-Russia” monument.
In 2013 - a memorial complex with a monument to Peter the Great was recreated in the city of Kirovsk, Leningrad region, as a sign of gratitude to the Great Emperor Peter the Great for his special attitude to the Armenian people. Initially, the monument was created by the Spiridonov brothers according to the greatest statement of Emperor Nicholas I in 1847 and was one of the places of interest in St. Petersburg province. During the Second World War, the monument was completely destroyed.
At the same time, the family necropolis of the Spiridonov family, the first creators of the monument to Peter the Great in the Red Pines, was repaired and restored at the old cemetery of the village of Putilovo.
The documentary “The Return of Peter the Great” on the revival of the memorial complex to Emperor Peter I in Kirovsk. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6uC-Eze4ag
In 2014 - in the village of Sinyavino, on appeal of St. Petersburg society “Residents of the besieged Leningrad” and the Council of Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of the Russian Federation and full cavaliers of the Order of Glory of St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region, with a support of the Interparliamentary Assembly of the CIS Member Nations (IPA CIS), he funded the creation and installation of a bust for the first twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Lieutenant General of Aviation G.P. Kravchenko.
The documentary “Born to Fly and Fight,” about the life story of G.P. Kravchenko preserving the memory of him and his heroism https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rQ-56O8iW8&feature=emb_logo
Film-holder of the diploma of the VIII International Festival of Christian Cinema “Nevsky Blagovest”. Winner of the district stage of the All-Russian Press Festival of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation “MEDIA-AS-2015” in the “Glance” (Vzglyad) nomination as the best television documentary.
2014 - a grave monument was recreated to the Governor-General of Yaroslavl and Kazan, Irakli Baratynsky and his wife Anna Abamelek-Baratynskaya at the Novodevichy Cemetery, St. Petersburg.
In 2014 - a worshipable Orthodox cross was erected to St. Sergius of Radonezh in Gatchina on the occasion of the 700th anniversary of birth of St. Sergius of Radonezh. Consecration was conducted by the Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all of Russia.
In 2014 - a khachkar to St. Seraphim Vyritsky was installed in the village of Vyritsa, Leningrad region, on occasion of the 65th death-day of St. Seraphim Vyritsky and the 100th anniversary of the Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Vyritsa.
2014 - took part in construction of the “From Mothers to Children” monument in memory of soldiers who died in local conflicts, installed in Kirovsk, Leningrad region.
2015-2016 - became one of the initiators and the main sponsor of the All-Russian contest “We Are Children of the Galaxy”, in which over 1800 children from 9 regions of Russia took part. Winners students of school No. 3 of the city of Tosno, Leningrad Region, thanks to the financing of Grachya Pogosyan, were able to visit the Vostochny Cosmodrome.
In 2015 - at the request of the Public Chamber of the Amur Region, Grachya Pogosyan Charity foundation erected a monument to Amur warriors at the Nevsky Pyatachok memorial, which is still waiting for its grand opening.
2015 - Grachya financed the creation of the 5th photo exhibition dedicated to the day of the complete liberation of Leningrad from the fascist blockade and the 55th anniversary of the Piskarevsky memorial opening.
2015 - established a memorial plate to the artist and major general N.A. Yaroshenko at the building of the Mikhailovsky Military Artillery Academy, St. Petersburg.
In 2016 - he carried out reconstruction of the monument in the cemetery of Tikhvin to those Leningrad children who died at the “Tikhvin” station on October 14, 1941.
In 2016 - he financed the creation and installation of a 4-meter monument with a large mosaic panel in memory of those children who died during the evacuation of Leningrad in front of the Tikhvin station. Monument is dedicated to the tragedy that took place on October 14, 1941.
Documentary “Train to Eternity”, which tells the page of the Tikhvin tragedy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W41PzaXSK7w&t=1821s
2016 - a memorial plate with a marble bas-relief of N.S. Gumilyov in Tsarskoye Selo Gymnasium of Arts in the name of A.A. Akhmatova in the city of Pushkin, St. Petersburg, was established by efforts of Grachya Pogosyan.
2016 - co-financed the creation of the Diocesan Museum “History of St. Petersburg Diocese”.
2017-2018 - repeatedly financed the return of the remains of Soviet soldiers, Leningrad defenders who died in the Baltic states, to their homeland in Omsk, Tver, as well as to the Republic of Kazakhstan Semey and Almaty cities. Grachya Pogosyan also financed a monument erection at the burial place of N.V. Sorokin in Semey city.
The documentary “It is necessary for those who live” about preserving the memory of the hero of the Second World War, the defender of Leningrad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3mNofr4DJU&t=7s
The documentary “Well, hello son” about preserving the memory of the hero of the Second World War, the defender of Leningrad. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ8JAegkw1E&t=19s
2017 - by efforts of Grachya Pogosyan Cheritable foundation a memorial plate to the graduate of the Mikhailovsky Military Artillery Academy, Marshal V.M. Mikhalkin, was installed on the facade of the Academy building.
In 2017, at the request of Dmitry Smirnov, head of the Main Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation for St. Petersburg, and Danila Rybin, director of the St. Petersburg Institute (branch) of the Voronezh State University of Justice (RPA of the Ministry of Justice of Russia), the tombstone of the Russian lawyer Anatoly Fedorovich Koni was restored on the Literatorskiye mostki part of the Volkovsky cemetery in St. Petersburg. This was the first project implemented by the Charity foundation of Grachya Pogosyan.
The documentary “The Man of the Word”, which tells about the life and work of A.F. Koni and preserves the memory of him nowadays https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuiEybiIpm0&t=4s
2017-2019 - co-financed the construction of the church of St. Mitrofan of Voronezh in the city of Gatchina.
2017 - co-financed the creation of a family chapel in honor of the military engineer Saint Ignatius (Bryanchaninov) at the Military Engineering and Technical Institute of the Military Academy of Logistics named after Army General A.V. Khrulyov.
2017-2018 - supported a number of projects of the Russian Guard.
In 2018 - a monument was erected to the “Courage of Leningraders who defended our city” in the Blockade Square on the Square of Courage of St. Petersburg. The inhabitants of the besieged Leningrad have been waiting for the monument for more than 40 years. The Governor of St. Petersburg and the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of St. Petersburg, thousands of citizens and guests attended the opening ceremony. The bishop of Kronstadt Nazariy consecrated the monument. Authors sculptor Evgeny Rotanov and architect Leonid Kopylovsky.
A documentary film “To the courage of Leningraders”, telling about the feat of Leningraders and defenders of the city and preserving the memory of these events nowadays https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQwgOxMQInQ&t=1134s
In 2018 - the burial place of the Daniel Wheeler family, a land meliorator, an English Quaker, who drained 40 thousand hectares of swamps around St. Petersburg, was restored in Shushary.
2018 a memorial plate of the great Russian artist, Vasily Vereshchagin, was recreated on the building of the Marine Corps of Peter the Great Naval Academy of St. Petersburg.
In 2018 - a monument was restored to the heroes and cinematographers of Lenfilm at the Lenfilm film studio.
In 2018 - co-financed the overhaul of the premises of the Consulate General of Armenia in St. Petersburg on Vasilyevsky Island.
In 2018 - in the Marble Palace (a branch of the Russian Museum) the mosaic image of the Holy Equal-to-the-Apostles Tsar Konstantin was restored and consecrated, which during the life of the last owner of the palace, Konstantin Romanov, adorned the courtyard facade of the building.
In 2018 - a bust to the founder of the Academy, Grand Duke Mikhail Pavlovich Romanov, was opened in the central hall of the Mikhailovsky Military Artillery Academy.
2018-2019 - Charity foundation of Grachya Pogosyan gave several marble boards with the names of the “golden” graduates to the Naval Academy named after N.G. Kuznetsov - Admiral of the Soviet Union Fleet.
2019 - a monument to military builders was opened in the village of Privetninskoye, Leningrad Region, with the participation of Army General Dmitry Bulgakov.
2019 - computers and office equipment were purchased for the public organization “Residents of the besieged Leningrad” in St. Petersburg.
In 2019 - at the Volkovsky Lutheran cemetery, on appeal of the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in St. Petersburg, a grave monument to the famous international lawyer, Fedor Fedorovich Martens, was recreated.
2019 - The monument at the burial place of German Alexandrovich Albrecht Russian orthopedic surgeon, prosthetist, doctor of medicine, first director of the Leningrad Research Institute of Prosthetics was restored on appeal of the leadership of the Federal State Budget Scientific Center named after Albrecht G.A.
2019 - Assistance in modernization of the museum was provided to the State Memorial Museum of Defense and the Siege of Leningrad.
2019 - a monument was erected to Russian Investigators on the territory of St. Petersburg Academy of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation. The monument is waiting for its grand opening.
2019 - co-financed the repair of the first Day Center for people with dementia of the “Hesed Avraam” Jewish Foundation, St. Petersburg.
2020 - the first information board was opened within the framework of the project of the Charitable Foundation named after Pogosyan Grachya Misakovich “Heroes of our school: dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the Victory”, at school No. 207 of the Central District of St. Petersburg.
At present, Grachya Pogosyan Charitable Foundation is working on a number of projects including but not limited to the following projects:
- Restoration of a monument to F.M. Dostoevsky at the “Necropolis of Artists” cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg;
- Continuation of a project on installation of information boards with the names of graduates Heroes of the Soviet Union, full holders of the Order of Glory, heroes of Russia as well as honorary citizens in schools of Russia and the CIS countries;
- Making a bust to Marshal L.A. Govorov for the educational institution “Baltic College” named after Marshal L.A. Govorov, St. Petersburg;
- Making a memorial plate with a bronze bas-relief of director of St. Petersburg Specialized Psychoneurological Orphanage No. 13 N.V. Nikiforova;
- etc.
Grachya Pogosyan provides constant support to various public, search and veteran organizations of St. Petersburg, including the following: the organization of disabled people “Profession”, St. Petersburg; Cheritable regional public organization “Special Petersburg”; Interregional Public Organization “North-West” (Severo-Zapad); Regional Public Organization “St. Petersburg Palace of Music Therapy and Therapeutic Art for Disabled Children and Disabled Mothers “Arevik””, Regional Public Organization Charity Movement “Ursa Major” (Bolshaya Medveditsa), “Officer personnel” (Ofitserskiy splav) newspaper; North-Western Branch of the Cosmonautics Federation of the Russian Federation.
For many years Grachya Pogosyan has been supporting St. Petersburg diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church. The patron also supports the Armenian Apostolic Church of St. Petersburg. He stood at the origins of the revival of the “Iskorka” children's magazine in St. Petersburg and sponsored its publication for 10 years.
***
Various publications on history of Leningrad land and its heroes were also published on the initiative and at the expense of G.M. Pogosyan.
- He co-financed the publication of the “Nevsky Pyatachok Bridgehead. 1941-1944” book.
- He was one of the sponsors of the “Photographers at War” almanac within the framework of the “Chronicle of St. Petersburg” project, which tells about the feat of the Soviet people during the Second World War in the territory of Leningrad-St. Petersburg and Leningrad Region.
- He financed the publication of the “Marshals, generals and admirals of Armenian descent in St. Petersburg” collection. And in 2019 he financed a second reprint of the book.
- He financed the publication of “The Fate of the Intelligence” memoirs book of the Soviet intelligence officer Mikhail Berezkin the intelligence chief of Leningrad Military District in 1968-1975, retired Major General.
- He funded the publication of 2 issues of a collection of poems by finalists of the International Youth Literary Competition “The candle was burning on the table” named after Konstantin Romanov.
- He funded the publication of the “Civil defense and emergency protection for the working population” training manual.
- He financed the publication of the “Beniamin Galstyan” book in Armenian, about the Major General of the Great Patriotic War, the defender of Leningrad, who died at Pulkovo Heights.
Now his charity work covers 13 countries: Russia, Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Mongolia, Slovakia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Germany, Kazakhstan, Israel and France.