News

The fourth annual "Znanie.Premiya" awards ceremony, the flagship project of the Russian "Znanie" Society, took place at the National Center "Russia." This year, the country recognized 31 laureates across 21 categories. Nearly 20,000 candidates from all regions of Russia and 56 other countries competed for the title of best educator or educational project. The title of "Educator of the Year," determined by public vote, was awarded to Larisa Kazakova, Director of the Penza College of Transport Technologies. She received the award— a transparent, multicolored glass trophy— from the General Director of the "Znanie" Society, Maksim Dreval.

Under Kazakova’s leadership, the Penza College has become a center for patriotic education. Initiatives like the Hero’s Class and the Young Tour Guides School have led to dozens of educational excursions in schools across Russia and Belarus. Over the past year, Kazakova’s projects have reached more than 100,000 young people.

One of her key achievements is the creation of Russia’s first museum dedicated to the Special Military Operation (SMO) within an educational institution. The museum regularly hosts exhibitions, student meetings with veterans, and discussions with participants of the operation. Its collection is constantly expanding, and Kazakova has pioneered mobile museum exhibits that bring history directly to schools and colleges. She played a key role in developing traveling exhibitions like "Penza–Brest" and "Penza for the Front." Kazakova is also deeply involved in historical research and search projects. In 2007, she founded Penza’s first search-and-rescue team, "Poisk–Vezdekhod," and in 2020, she launched the region’s first interactive museum of recovered wartime artifacts, Witnesses of Immortal Feats.

During the awards ceremony, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the attendees via a statement read by Deputy Prime Minister Tatyana Golikova.
"Russia has a rich history of education and enlightenment, filled with inspiring examples of selfless dedication to knowledge, people, and the nation. It is heartening to see these noble traditions continue today. We honor those who, out of passion and conviction, dedicate themselves to the essential work of mentoring and educating the next generation—instilling patriotism, preserving our national heritage, and promoting the great achievements of Russian science. They strive to pass on their knowledge and experience to the youth," the President’s message stated.

Sergey Kiriyenko, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the "Znanie" Society, also addressed the audience, emphasizing the growing influence of educators and knowledge bearers in society.
"In just a few years, participation in the "Znanie.Premiya" awards has increased sixfold. This season, we saw nominees from nearly every continent— only Australia and Antarctica were missing," Kiriyenko noted.
He expressed his gratitude to all the nominees and gave special thanks to veterans of the Special Military Operation who, upon returning from the front lines, take on the role of mentors for young people. During the ceremony, the call for applications for the next award season was officially launched, with submissions open until September 2025. The fifth edition of the "Znanie.Premiya" will feature 18 categories, including several new ones. In honor of the Year of the Defender of the Fatherland, declared for 2025 by Presidential decree, a special category has been introduced to recognize contributions to preserving the memory of military heroes.
Additionally, for the first time, an award will be presented in the category "For Contributions to Preserving Traditional Values," recognizing educators and initiatives that promote and uphold cultural and family values. A new regional stage of the "Znanie.Premiya" will also be introduced, ensuring that educators and projects with a significant impact at the local level receive recognition in their respective regions.