![President Putin meeting with representatives of Russian non-governmental and non-political organisations. The President with Alexei Leonov, co-chairman of the Slavyane international society and vice-president of the Association of Space Explorers.](http://static.kremlin.ru/media/events/photos/big/duablH1BEgMeAGYmzzeiKJ35Y94QN9lX.jpeg)
Addressing the meeting, Mr Putin said that it was the first meeting of its kind between government and society. He also said that non-political organisations were valuable because of their independence from government. They had other, and sometimes more effective, leverages over society.
Representatives of about 30 organisations took part in the meeting. There were members of soldiers’ families communities and associations, associations helping Chernobyl children, disabled people, forced migrants and war veterans.
The meeting discussed, in particular, the social integration of children from orphanages and ways of providing them with accommodation.