On May 31, 2016, Russian Foreign Ministry GlavUpDK’s Branch Moscow Country Club held 21st International Charity Golf Tournament Dedicated to International Children’s Day

On May 31, 2016, the Russian Foreign Ministry GlavUpDK’s branch - Moscow Country Club – successfully held the 21st International Charity Golf Tournament dedicated to International Children’s Day. Continuing the good tradition, the heads and staff members of diplomatic missions, Russian political and public figures, representatives of the business community, famous athletes and artists came to Nakhabino outside Moscow on the last day of spring. They were united by their love of golf and the desire to support the noble goal of the Tournament - to help children. 

Acting Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s GlavUpDK Elena Ryabtseva welcomed the Tournament participants and guests at the opening ceremony. She said this year the Tournament has a symbolic significance, as this August GlavUpDK will mark the 95th anniversary since its establishment. A well-coordinated team of the Main Department for more than two decades has been doing its best to hold the Tournament at the highest level. This is evidenced by the active participation in the competitions of representatives of the diplomatic corps, prominent politicians and businesspeople, as well as the young golfers who personify the future of Russian golf.

Elena Ryabtseva said that golf is in harmony with the charitable mission of the tournament and expressed sincere gratitude to all the sponsors who, despite the difficult economic situation in the country and the world, found means to help children.

Honored guests of the Charity Tournament and its participants - First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, President of the Russian Olympic Committee Alexander Zhukov and Chairman of the Board of the Eurasian Economic Commission, President of the Russian Golf Association Viktor Khristenko delivered a welcome speech to the golfers and fans. Alexander Zhukov said that over 21 years the Tournament has formed a unique atmosphere of sports festival, healthy living and good deeds, and wished the participants to enjoy the game and the beautiful summer weather. Viktor Khristenko also wished good luck to the players and said he hoped that the traditions of philanthropy, underlying the Tournament’s noble mission, will help the establishment and development of golf in Russia.

Within the framework of the Tournament, held in the scramble format, 24 teams, comprising three adult golfers and one junior golfer each competed on the professional 18-hole golf course of Moscow Country Club. The diplomatic corps was represented by the ambassadors of Pakistan and Uzbekistan, as well as members of the diplomatic missions of Vietnam, Italy, Cote d'Ivoire, Laos and Malaysia.

A news conference was organized for reporters covering the Tournament at which Acting Head of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s GlavUpDK Elena Ryabtseva, Co-Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Charity Hospice Foundation ‘Vera’, actress Tatyana Drubich, representatives of the Konstantin Khabensky Charity Foundation, Anna Sysoyeva and Semyon Treskunov and Director of the Tambov-based G.V. Chicherin Family and Children Support Center, Viktor Zakharov, answered journalists’ questions.

Acting Head of GlavUpDK Elena Ryabtseva drew journalists' attention to the unique nature of the tournament, which is held since 1996 and is both a new prestigious Olympic sport event and a charity fundraising tool. More than 80 million rubles have been raised over the years of the Tournament’s existence. The funds were used to fulfil specific tasks of giving aid to children. Elena Ryabtseva said that the main recipients of charitable assistance this year will be the Charity Hospice Foundation ‘Vera’ and the Konstantin Khabensky Charity Foundation. In addition, funds for the purchase of medical equipment, school furniture, playground sports equipment will be transferred to the Podolsk boarding school for children with severe speech disabilities, to the Krasnogorsk primary school-kindergarten, to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s boarding school and to the Tambov-based G.V. Chicherin Family and Children Support Center.

Tatyana Drubich, representing the Charity Hospice Foundation ‘Vera’, sincerely thanked GlavUpDK for supporting the Foundation’s projects, especially the camp for terminally ill children and their parents.

Following the good tradition, Tatyana Drubich and Semyon Treskunov as a memento of the Tournament planted a tree in the walkway next to the practice green.

After the presentation of charitable certificates, the competition results were announced. Head of the diplomatic mission of the Republic of Uzbekistan Bakhrom Ashrafkhanov was awarded in the category “Best Playing Ambassador”.

The third place in the Tournament was given to the team of Alexander Timoshin, Olga Nazarova, Rohit Vijayavargiya, Ibragim Tursunov with a score of 55.87. The team comprising Konstantin Sokolov, Irina Chernova, Lamberto Stefani (Italy) and Sergey Mironov won the second place with a score of 55.62. And the team, comprising Maxim Shokun Mikhail Reznikov, Nguyen Thanh Hang (Vietnam) and Georgy Voronov won the Tournament.