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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends,

Greetings to the participants and guests of the Soobshchestvo (Community) Forum. You have once again gathered in Moscow ahead of National Unity Day, a holiday that symbolises the solidarity and deep sense of responsibility of our multi-ethnic nation for the destiny of our Fatherland.

National Unity Day also symbolises the shared commitment by our people to come together for a common cause. Today, the Civic Chamber has brought together in this hall over 5,000 proactive and dedicated people from across the country.

This year, the forum marks the 20^th anniversary of the Civic Chamber, which plays an essential structuring role within civil society. Its activities cover almost all socially significant areas of life. The Civic Chamber has built a very positive track record, including in terms of improving the legislative framework.

Among other things, it helped establish legislation regarding public oversight by instituting public supervisory commissions. I must also mention efforts to promote election monitoring by civil society, which has become an integral part of Russia’s electoral system.

The Civic Chamber has been proactive in supporting non-profits and has insisted on granting more government subsidies to NGOs working on social issues. It has also come up with the initiative to grant these organisations the right to provide social services.

Today, non-profits have become an important, if not irreplaceable, element of state social policy. In fact, over 22,000 non-profits have benefited from funding and carried out their instrumental social projects for a total amount of over 176 billion rubles since we established the Presidential Grants Foundation in 2017.

Over 80 billion rubles have gone towards supporting creative undertakings through the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives. This has helped bring to fruition important ideas related to patriotic education and preserving our historical and cultural heritage.

I know that the Civic Chamber has adopted a principled position in the challenging times when the special military operation began, and it has been proactive in supporting our heroes, the Russian Army. I am aware that you have been hard at work to build bridges between our volunteer organisations and the People’s Front to effectively fulfil these objectives. Thank you for your hard work. The country and the people need it so much.

There is an open dialogue between the government and the people, and it has become even more effective and useful, including in terms of defending traditional spiritual and moral values.

It is this kind of partnership that has helped create a system for providing long-term care to people who need it, as well as establish the Circle of Good Foundation for helping children suffering from severe illnesses, including rare diseases.

Friends, the agenda of your forum covers a wide range of topical matters. I wish you fruitful work and every success in your efforts.

Happy upcoming National Unity Day!