Artek (camp)

Artek ( _uk. Арте́к) was an All-Union and international Young Pioneer camp in the Soviet Union. It was established on June 16 1925 near the Black Sea in the town of Gurzuf located on the Crimean peninsula, near Medved Mountain located in Ukraine. The camp first hosted eighty children but it grew rapidly. In 1969 it had an area of 3.2 km², there were 150 buildings, three medical buildings, a school, film studio "Artekfilm", three swimming pools, sports stadium (7000 seats), playgrounds for other activities. Unlike most of the young pioneer camps, Artek was a year-round camp, thanks to the climate.

Destination Artek was considered to be an honorable award for Soviet children as well as internationally. During its heyday, each year Artek gave 27,000 children vacations. Between 1925 and 1969 in the camp hosted 300,000 children including more than 13,000 children from seventy foreign countries. [Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd ed., [http://slovari.yandex.ru/dict/bse/article/00004/48300.htm Entry on Artek] ] After the breaking up of the Young Pioneers in 1990 its prestige went down, but it still is a popular vacation siteFact|date=November 2007.

Camps

Structurally Artek was a group of 10 smaller camps. Each of them had its own name: "Morskoi", "Lazurny", "Kiparisny" etc. Four of these smaller camps ("Rechnoi", "Ozyorny", "Lesnoi" and "Polevoi") made up the notable "Pribrezhny" complex of Artek, built between 1960 and 1964. The group of architects led by Anatoly Polyansky which designed "Pribrezhny" was awarded the USSR State Prize in architecture in 1967.

Similar distinguished pioneer camps existed under jurisdictions of individual Soviet republics, e.g, Orlyonok in Russian SFSR and Zubryonok on Byelorussian SSR.In East Germany the Ernst Thälmann Pioneer Organisation built a pioneer camp similar to Artek in 1952 at Werbellinsee north-east of Berlin.

Notable Visitors

In July 1983 Artek was visited by peacemaker Samantha Smith. [http://www.artek.org/?ID=102109 ··• МДЦ "Aртек" ·•· Хроника 80-х годов. •·· ] ] Among honorary guests of Artek were:

International Children's Center 'Artek'

Artek is now known as the "International Children's Center 'Artek' ". 60% of visitors arrive on a state subsidized or free basis. The beneficiaries are children from low income and large families, as well as orphans, handicapped, and gifted children. In 2005, full prices were in range 3,000-5,000 UAH, depending on the season and location. 2007 prices are from US$770 to about $2000.

In 2004 it was officially recognized by UNESCO as a site for implementation of international projects, in particular, during the UN Decade of Education (2005-2014).

In 2005, the year of Artek's 80th anniversary, Artek hosted about 13,000 children in ed camps under the supervision of about 2,000 of volunteer squad leaders managed by permanent pedagogical staff of over 200 in personnel, General Director Olga Guzar (Ольга Владимировна Гузар).

Traditionally, Artek provided a base (known as School of Pedagogues-Organizers) for hands-on training of students of pedagogical schools. This tradition has been continued today, known as "Humanitarian Institute 'Artek' ". In 2005 students from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Moldova and Kazakhstan were trained there.

ee also

*Orlyonok
*Samantha Smith, the young American peace activist who visited Artek

References

External links

* [http://www.artek.org/ The International Children Center Artek] , official homepage.
* [http://www.tim-jackson.co.uk/lyuda/artek.html Four weeks in Artek]
* [http://www.mria-artek.com.ua/ Representative office of the International Children Center Artek in Kiev] .