The School has always cultivated the courage to question everything and to think for themselves. As a result, the School’s alumni — freethinkers, analysts, human rights activists, journalists, and academics — continue to discuss and shape alternative pathways for Russia’s development, which is crucial not only for the country itself but also for sustainable peace in the region and globally. The School’s community has consistently produced horizontal networks based on shared values, where people from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, the Baltic States, the South Caucasus, and Central Asia can not only exchange ideas but also participate in joint projects and initiatives aimed at supporting democracy, human rights, the rule of law, and fair peace.

Involvement with the School has become an important marker and basis for a high level of trust, ensuring mutual support and facilitating communication between different civil society organizations and their individual representatives. The School’s alumni are represented in almost all prominent political and public projects initiated by democratically oriented Russians. They play a very active role in anti-war opposition organizations such as the Antiwar Initiatives Platform, Rusos Libres España, the Russian Anti-War Committee in Prague, Russie-Libertés, Russians for Ukraine, the Youth Democratic Movement «Spring,» Demokrati-Ja, SmaRadina, Feminist Anti-War Resistance. Networking and interaction among them in different countries are greatly facilitated by personal ties, often rooted in the School’s community. This applies to many civil organizations, particularly educational (Memorial, Teplitsa of Social Technologies, Frame, Reforum, etc.) and human rights organizations (Agora, OVD-Info, the Movement of Conscientious Objectors, LGBTQ+ Group «Vykhod,» Labyrinth, etc.).

The list of political prisoners, including former prisoners, features many of the School’s participants: Anastasia Shevchenko, Andrey Pivovarov, Evgeny Bestuzhev, Insa Lander, and Olesya Krivenko. Alumni who continue their active social and political activities in Russia remain at risk. The voices of the School are broadcast through leading opposition media resources, including Meduza, Volna, Sota, Vot Tak, Belsat, and «24−02−2022 — Eyewitnesses.» Lola Tagayeva is the founder, publisher, and former editor-in-chief (until 2023) of the online edition «Vyrstka»; Maxim Kurnikov is the leading editor of the Russian-language service Bild and head of the online edition ‘Echo’; Evgenia Volunkova is the editor-in-chief of «Takiye Delo»; and Oleg Grigorenko is the editor-in-chief of «7×7.» Alumni are also well integrated into European networks, which facilitate dialogue between Russian and EU civil societies, reducing the risks of isolation. Examples of such cooperation are not limited to formal ties but have a very tangible practical output, reflected in experience exchange, thus transferring innovative ideas to Russian realities and mutually enriching European understanding of the problems and prospects of civil society in the context of modern challenges.

The School’s alumni are individuals who have mastered a serious educational programme on democracy, civic participation, the rule of law, and humanism, which distinguishes them from many other democratic activists. With their extensive network and diverse experiences, bringing together politicians, journalists, human rights defenders, civic activists, and academics from Russia and abroad, they are well-equipped to strategize and engage in future reforms.

Our community’s project areas include:

  • Anti-war initiatives
  • Support for political prisoners and their families
  • Development of independent mass media and other media projects
  • Gender equality, prevention of domestic violence
  • Anti-discrimination, in particular against representatives of LGBT+ communities
  • Educational and socio-cultural initiatives aimed at promoting democratic values and human rights
  • Decolonisation projects and overcoming imperial thinking
  • Environmental initiatives and the search for answers to global challenges of humanity
  • IT security and humanisation of technological progress
  • Psychological support for victims of repression and abuse