MOSCOW: 6 October, 2008
A Conference Is Held Dedicated To the Memory of Professor MV Agapov-Tagansky at the Library-Archive "The Russian Diaspora" 

Between September 25-26, 2008, a scholarly, pedagogical conference dedicated to the memory of Professor MV Agapov-Tagansky, the scout leader and pedagogue (+1973) took place at Moscow's Library-Archive "The Russian Diaspora." Agapov-Tagansky was one of the foremost ideologues of the Russian scout movement in the Diaspora, and devised the Orthodox and Russian patriotic program for the Organization of Young Russian Scouts (ORIuR).  The theme of the extracurricular education of the youth in an Orthodox and patriotic spirit is as real today as its was then, for in Russia, in place of the Pioneers, many youth organizations of the scout type have appeared, in which one finds emphasized internationalism and belief in God without the Church; and in 2009, the 90th anniversary of Komsomol, the Communist youth organization, will be marked. 

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy sent a personal greeting to those who were participating in the conference, and therein remarked upon the importance of the Orthodox worldview of ORIuR. 

Protopriest Yaroslav Belikov of the Cathedral of Our Lady "Joy of All Who Sorrow" in San Francisco delivered a lecture entitled "The Experience of Spiritual Upbringing in ORIuR," in which he noted the primary significance of the spiritual nurturing of the youth, and also stressed the necessity for spiritual work in scout subdivisions, under the guidance of a priest. 

It was gratifying to see that the long experience of scout activity in the Diaspora was not for naught, and continues to evolve fruitfully in Russia. 

Read Fr Yaroslav's report in the section "Articles and Homilies."