On August 23, Zavidovo Recreation Complex, managed by of the Main Administration for Service to the Diplomatic Corps (GlavUpDK) under the MFA of Russia, hosted the 26th Summer Diplomatic Games for foreign diplomats working in the Russian Federation. The traditional festivity timed to coincide with GlavUpDK's 104th anniversary was held under the motto The Art of Relaxation in Zavidovo.

Zavidovo sports grounds brought together executives, officers and employees of foreign diplomatic missions accredited in Russia, the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and GlavUpDK along with professional athletes. In total, the competition involved more than 25 registered teams of employees of embassies, international organizations, the MFA and GlavUpDK.

At the Opening Gala Ceremony, Evgeny Moskovets, Deputy Head GlavUpDK, read out a greeting for the organizers, participants and guests of the event from Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov. “For over a quarter of a century, your sports rally has served as a unique platform for informal friendly communication among representatives of diplomatic missions accredited in Russia. The welcoming Zavidovo Recreation Complex located on the picturesque banks of the majestic Volga River brings together representatives of various cultures year after year for them to share the values ​​of good neighborliness, mutual respect, cooperation, and the promotion of a healthy lifestyle,” his greeting says.

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Teams from around the world competed under their national flags in cross-country running, football, volleyball, basketball, fishing, billiards, tennis, and arm wrestling to win special awards. There was also a sports and entertainment family-oriented GlavUpDK Cup relay race.

Traditionally, Zavidovo visitors enjoyed both exciting sporting competitions and the Art of Eating, Russian Style gastro fest presented by the federal project for Food Map of Russia.

A multinational team of chefs led by project initiator and manager Ekaterina Shapovalova cooked over 1,000 liters of Russian food over an open fire, offering, in particular, Far Eastern fish soup with pollock, commander squid, Magadan shrimp, kelp, and Kamchatka crab, taiga solyanka with Lovoozersky venison, Russian-style fried potatoes with slightly salted Lukhovitsy cucumbers, and Suvorov-style porridge based on the recipe of the great Russian commander Alexander Suvorov whose 300th anniversary we will celebrate in 2027. They also baked fluffy pancakes and served them with sour cream, cloudberry and lingonberry jam and set a Russian tea party with a large 300-liter samovar.

The vibrant atmosphere of the gastro festival was fueled by a rousing performance by Slavyane Group of the Russian Song Moscow Academic Theater under the direction of People's Artist of Russia Nadezhda Babkina.

On the day of the Games, both adults and children partook in entertainment events and visited a vibrant photo area featuring the Goldfish, an informal mascot of GlavUpDK. Outside of the main sports program, there were also friendly table tennis and gorodki tournaments, while those who love intellectual pastimes were able to prove themselves at the chess table.

The festival program included creative workshops and street attractions.