The message reads, in part:
“The anniversary of the legendary Orlyonok centre is a major, significant event, both for its employees and the many generations of its students. Located on the Black Sea coast in Krasnodar Territory, the Russian Children’s Centre Orlyonok is rightfully famous for the beauty of its unique southern nature, special hospitable atmosphere and traditions, not to mention it being a great attraction for boys and girls from all regions of our country for a very long time. There have always been many important and interesting activities here: cultural and sports programmes, festivals and competitions, excursions and walking tours, as well as meetings with invited guests, who include politicians and philanthropists, cosmonauts and Olympic champions, and of course artists and musicians. And while participating in all these events one must make time to swim in the warm and tender sea.
I would like to stress that such eventful and well-organised children’s recreation is the result of the much appreciated and truly self-sacrificing work of Orlyonok’s tutors and counselors, teachers and medical workers and representatives of other specialties and especially their sincere, caring love for the centre’s children.”
In 2012, Orlyonok was granted the status of a UNESCO Associated School. It is also a member of the International Camping Fellowship and National Association of Children’s Camps.
Orlyonok’s area covers some 253 hectares with 3.7 km of sandy beaches. Orlyonok has the status of a specially protected area in which more than 1,000 types of plants grow. Ten children’s camps are active in Orlyonok: four of them work all year long, and six during the summers. There is a total of 13 sessions a year at Orlyonok, each of them lasting 21 days. More than 20,000 children from Russia and other countries ages 11–16 go to these camps.