"HELLO, COUNTRY OF HEROES!" The ensemble performed at the IV Charity Concert dedicated to Heroes of the Fatherland Day

Our people have always been proud of the defenders of the Motherland. In Russia, there are holidays designed to celebrate the valor of military personnel. Among them are Defender of the Fatherland Day, Navy Day, Border Guard Day, Air Force Day and others. But there are dates that are no less significant, and not everyone in our country knows about them yet. And all because the traditions of their celebration appeared relatively recently. One of them is the Day of Heroes of the Fatherland, which was revived by the Decree of the President of Russia in February 2007.

"The heroism of our people is a special kind of heroism. It is not ostentatious, but sincere, and comes from the heart, from love for our land, and is based on high moral values that are dear to each of us, and which are deeply ingrained in our genetic memory and our national character. This is why the history of the Russian state is rich in examples of heroism that became truly popular, widespread, and powerful during difficult times," said Russian President Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin in his address to the audience on the first anniversary of the Heroes of the Fatherland Day.

The country needed a date when it could express its gratitude to the Heroes of the Soviet Union and Russia, the recipients of the Orders of Glory and St. George. By using their example, the country could show the younger generation what true military honor, immense valor, and true courage mean.

This date was December 9, and it was chosen for a reason. This day is special in the history of our country. Two hundred and fifty years ago, in 1769, Empress Catherine II signed a decree establishing the Order of St. George. Since then, the bravest and most distinguished officers in Russia have been awarded the Order of St. George.

On December 5, 2020, the State Central Concert Hall Rossiya in Luzhniki hosted the IV Charity Concert "Hello, Country of Heroes!", dedicated to honoring the Heroes of the Fatherland.

The main characters of the charity concert were Heroes of the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation from various fields and areas of activity, holders of the Order of St. George, Heroes of Socialist Labor, and Heroes of Labor of the Russian Federation, whose feats and valiant work have been duly appreciated by the state.

The concert hall was filled with military personnel, employees of the National Guard of the Russian Federation, law enforcement agencies, scientists and artists, space explorers, and outstanding athletes. The event was attended by members of the State Duma and the Federation Council of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, as well as representatives of government agencies and public organizations.

The charity concert "Hello, Country of Heroes!" was held for the fourth time with the support of the Moscow Government and Mayor of Moscow Sergey Sobyanin.

The festive evening was hosted by popular TV presenters Maria Sittel and Honored Artist of Russia Alexander Marshal.

At the beginning of the festive concert, the song "Forward with Russia" was performed by People's Artist of Russia Vladimir Romanov and the choir of the Academic Ensemble of Songs and Dances of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, led by the artistic director and chief conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Major General Viktor Eliseev.

The artistic director of the project, People's Artist of the USSR and Hero of Labor of Russia Vasily Lanovoy, addressed the audience with a welcoming message from Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin. Accompanied by the choir of the Rosgvardia Academic Song and Dance Ensemble, Vasily Lanovoy performed the famous song "From the Heroes of Bygone Times..." from the film "Officers."

The concert program featured Russian pop stars: People's Artists of Russia Tamara Gverdtsiteli and Oleg Gazmanov, Honored Artists of Russia Nina Shatskaya, Zara, Sergey Kuprik, Alexey Dmitriev, and other popular artists: Sergey Volchkov, Gleb Matveychuk, Alexandra Sennikova, Elena Maksimova, Grigory Yakovlev, Evgeny Kungurov, Ruslan Alekhno, and the Zemlyane band.

All the vocal performances at the Rossiya State Central Concert Hall were accompanied by the choir of the Academic Ensemble of Songs and Dances of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation. It has become a tradition for this renowned military band to participate in the concert.

The Igor Moiseev Academic Folk Dance Ensemble performed the choreographic composition "Yabloko".

The festive concert ended with the song "Farewell, Slavonic Woman," performed by all the concert participants and the choir of the Academic Ensemble of Songs and Dances of the National Guard Troops of the Russian Federation, led by the artistic director and chief conductor, People's Artist of Russia, Major General Viktor Eliseev.