History of the "Great Adventure".

In summer 2004 the Youth Ecological Camp "Great Adventure" would be opened for the fifth time in the Republic of Karelia. Being originally founded as the Anniversary Event of one famous Corporation, in the course of five years the Youth Camp has developed into the All-Russia Center of summer holidays for teenagers, well known outside Moscow.

For the first time Youth Ecological Camp "Great Adventure" was organized in the Republic of Karelia, in summer 2000. It was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Kodak Company in Russia.

100 teenagers from various regions of Russia spent their holidays at the Camp during two months. All teenagers passed through a strict competition selection, the main criterion of which was their previous ecological experience in hometowns and villages.

In 2001 the Youth Ecological Camp again set up its tents on the picturesque shores of the Tikshozero Lake. 150 teenagers (24 teams) spent holidays this summer in the Camp. For the first time the Camp invited orphans-teenagers, and teenagers from socially unprotected families.

The objectives of the project included ecological education and training of teenagers, overcoming psychological consequences of a long-term living in orphanages and hostels, extension of mental outlook and physical rehabilitation.

In 2002 the Youth Ecological Camp was named "The Great Adventure". 280 teenagers from 21 regions of Russia participated in the Camp's programs. This time the Camp gathered youth of all social Levels: ordinary schoolboys and girls, orphans, teenagers with disabilities and from socially unprotected families. For each of them this voyage became a real lesson of communication, a unique possibility to try one's strength and to become more self-confident. There were teenagers from orphanages and specialized boarding houses.

In 2003 the project of the Camp Great Adventure became the winner of the two tenders:

• The competition, organized by the Ministry of Education of Russia.
• The competition, organized by the Department of the Social Protection of Moscow citizens.
  

More than 720 teenagers had spent their vacations at the coast of the Tikshozero. More than 400 permits of the "Great Adventure" were passed by the Ministry of Education of Russia to orphanages and boarding schools of 23 regions of Russia. For the first time the Camp hosted the children with visual impairment and cerebral palsy (not a serious form).

In 2004 the Camp moved to another place. Now the tent town of the "Great Adventure" is located at the shore of the Mergubskoye Lake (Muezersky region, the Republic of Karelia, in about 40 km from the Tikshozero). The nearest populated settlement Tiksha is in 10 km from this place.

One thousand teenagers from all regions of Russia have spent their holidays at the Camp this summer.

In 2005 the "Great Adventure" Program was divided into three levels of complexity: Pioneer, Explorer, Master of Travelling. About two and a half thousand teenagers spent their holidays in the Camp from July to September.

The Program Great Adventure has developed three main principles of its activities:

• Availability for everybody, irrespective of sex, physical fitness and etc.
• The main part of the Program: tours and expeditions in the course of which a teenager acquires new experience and new knowledge.
• Obligatory socially useful work – ecological assistance to the region, at which territory the Program is organized.

The Youth Camp has existed for eight years. During three summer months in 2007, autumn and winter (beginning of 2008) the Great Adventure welcomed about three thousand teenagers from different regions of Russia.