The St. Petersburg Regional Public Charitable Fund for the Support and Development of Musical Culture and Education, the Rimsky-Korsakov St. Petersburg State Conservatory, and the St. Petersburg Social Council are running the First International Arts Festival “STEP TOWARDS!” for children with limited capabilities from 9^th to 12^th of March, 2008.

The main purpose of the festival is to provide children with limited capabilities with the opportunity to display their gifts and creative talents, and to facilitate more complete social adaptation of these children within the modern-day society. Our celebration is for those who are deprived of ability to see, hear, move, but possess ability to feel music, to sing, to feel happiness from touching keys or strings…

The level of civilization of any state or society is mainly determined by its attitude towards and treatment of the weakest members of the society. Only decade ago any support for unable or physically challenged members of our society was limited to targeted financial assistance, to providing most necessary material entitlements, and to medical help. We must recognize that there will be more people with limited capabilities, physically and mentally challenged within our society in the near future. We must learn and strive to live, work, create, and associate with them on the highest level as with equals.

Especially, the concept of the Festival “Step Towards!” is the most encouraged joint participation of healthy and challenged children in various creative activities and programs of the festival under the tutelage and guidance of professional educators, musicians and actors. Children from St. Petersburg, Leningrad Region, Moscow, various other regions of Russia, and also from various countries of the world are being invited to participate in our Festival.

Young participants of the festival will be performing on the best stages and halls of our grand city including Small Hall of Conservatory, Large Hall of Philharmonic Society, and others. The final show will be a program of young talents and actors of the mime-theater “Litsedeiy”. The closing gala ceremony will be conducted in one of the most beautiful St. Petersburg’s halls.

We hope that the Festival “Step Towards!” will become a one of the most significant traditional events in the St. Petersburg’s cultural life that will attract the attention of the society of the civilized world to our Northern Capital as a center of charity and compassion. The decision was made to include the Festival in the program of especially significant social and cultural events of our city.

The Festival is supported by the City Administration represented by the Department of Labor and Social Protection of the Citizens. Organizational and financial support was offered by the Department of Culture, the Department of International Relations, the Department of Youth Policy and Relationship with International Organizations. The Festival partners are Social Organization “International Art Festival “Master-Class”, and St. Petersburg Association “Gaordi”.

We would like to invite children from your country to take part in this Festival “Step Towards!”, and would be pleased to discuss any possible means of cooperation with you.

AZIMUT Hotel Saint-Petersburgs location is perfect; it is situated in the historical part of the city on the bank of the Fontanka River, at the intersection of the Lermontovsky and Rizhky Prospects, a 20-minute ride from the Pulkovo-1 airport and 10 minutes away from the Baltic Railway Station. Standard Single and double rooms. This room category has not been fully repaired yet. These rooms are especially convenient for tourist trips.