Write to Russian political prisoners

What to write about?

Start with a greeting, introduce yourself and share a bit about yourself: where you live, what you do, why you decided to write. Perhaps you noticed something interesting about the person or share common interests — these can be good starting points. Ask your recipient about their hobbies, share a story from your life, or simply express your support. Read examples of first letters and replies for inspiration!

• From: Nina To: Dudiaeva Anastasia Greetings, Anastasia! My name is Nina. Right now I live in Toronto, but before that (18 years ago) I lived in Saint Petersburg. I left country just to be closer to my son, who by that point already lived with his father in New York. I couldn't emigrate to the US, so I decided to go to Canada to reduce travel time for meetings with my son. I was able to 'restart' my life (including the professional side) at my new place of residency, even though I was already 43 when I immigrated. And despite all the pain that the current situation in the homeland causes me, I'm certain that everyone is capable of living 'not one' life. Are you able to work at the moment? I don't know in what genre you worked, what materials you used, but do you at least have paper and crayons, for example? What do you enjoy reading? What music do you like? Do you like to travel? In the last two years I was able to retire and travel Europe for two months a year: last year I travelled Italy, this - Spain and Portugal. It is queerly that life in those countries goes on as usual: people enjoy the little things, play on playgrounds, theaters are full of spectators, and museums exchange exponents without any political content. For example, this year I was amazed by the exhibition dedicated to works of Mayakovsky in Queen Sofia's museum in Madrid. In addition to photos, poems, excerpts from periodicals, the exhibition also showed the film *The Lady and The Hooligan* that featured Mayakovsky in the main role. No one has cancelled or is cancelling our culture… Here, in Toronto, I listen to Russian music on local radio and etc. Tell me what you can about yourself. I want to congratulate you in advance on upcoming holidays (New Year and Christmas) and to wish you patience, energy, health!! And take care of yourself as much as it is possible in your current conditions! With respect, Nina.

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• From: Maria To: Eduard Vyacheslavovich Sviridov Hello, Eduard Vyacheslavovich! We are not acquainted yet, but I would like to get to know you a bit more. My name is Maria, and I am 36. I live in Akademgorodok in Novosibirsk with my husband, my daughter, who will soon go to school, and two cats. I teach at Novosibirsk State University and give consultations on smoothing business processes. I like to read fiction and listen to popular science lectures. I believe in the scientific method and rational thinking, and I also find it very important to be a good person and help everything that is alive. I have religious friends, and I enjoy discussing what faith gives to them and how it shows up in their daily lives. Because I love people, and love trying to understand their inner workings and what is important to them. And also because I believe that faith helps us handle grief and cruel twists of fate. When my daughter says she believes in God, I reply that I am happy for her and even wish that I had believed too, if only I could. "Just believe", she offers. And I smile and think that it is not so easy to bridge the gap within one's head between faith in science and in God. I am happy because most of my close ones are alive, I managed to marry a man whom I chose myself, and gave birth to a healthy child, my amazing girl. Because I live in a warm flat with a water supply and a fridge. Because I can feel curiosity and have hope. I am unhappy because the world is so full of suffering; because in the last few years I worry a lot for myself and my close ones; because so often it is difficult to see eye to eye with my husband. Recently, he and I were discussing who likes what. He has many hobbies: programming, soldering, making music, playing video games, and riding a motorcycle. I, on the other hand, like doing things that need to be done and loathe to spend time on 'useless' things – unless it's to help somebody or for our family's well-being. I also love stand-up paddling (SUP) on a sort of plank with a paddle. When you are in the middle of smooth waters, you feel an incredible calm. And a great confidence that comes from knowing which action of yours results in what movement, what direction. Not at all like in regular life :) We live 10 minutes away from a lake, but in all of the summer I paddled only three times. It is hard sometimes to feel like a human, not a function. In "The Book of Joy", the 14th Dalai Lama and a Christian activist Desmond Tutu postulated that humans only have two true sufferings: physical pain and loss of someone close to you. Other causes of suffering are made up. This idea resonates with me, but far from always do I accomplish following it in real life. How did you come to faith? What supports you in the darkest times? Have you found ways to preserve hope and curiosity? Did you discover what you like, and did you manage to spend enough time on it? Do you love and accept yourself, and has it always been that way? How do you feel? What worries you? What did you realise while being imprisoned? What would you be interested in reading about in my next letter, if I receive your reply? This is my first-ever letter to a stranger, and I worry that I wrote the wrong things in the wrong ways. Don't judge too harshly. I hope that nothing in what I wrote offended you. Please take care of yourself. 9th of August, 2024. With hope that you regain freedom and reunite with your loved ones soon, Maria P.S. Am attaching photos from yesterday's paddling

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• From: Alexander To: Ledkov Konstantin Valerievich Hello, Konstantin! You don't know me but once I read about you, I decided to write to you anyway. My name is Alexander, I am 41 years old. I live in Vienna, Austria, the most beautiful city on our planet. But I was born and bred in the Far East, in Khabarovsk Krai. It is the middle of the summer right now and I am boiling (It's 35 degrees outside), but where I was born it is only 10 degrees out. I work as a teacher of English and I am trying to learn German, rather unsuccessfully. Speaking of languages, I speak Russian, Belarusian, Even, English and I am learning German at the moment. How many languages do you speak? I often ask those who speak multiple languages which one they use to speak to themselves. It might sound weird coming from a stranger, but I would like to get to know you better. We write to political prisoners who rarely get any letters. I read about you and I am very sorry about what happened. I hope you'll return home soon and be able to go fishing and mushroom picking again. Living here, I am dreaming about the mushrooms and forests of the Far East, we have gorgeous northern nature there, mosquitos the size of a bird and incredible fishing. I grew up eating very good fish and I am very suspicious of all the fish from the local supermarkets. By the way, I recently tried vegan fish here, it was made with a 3d printer. They managed to replicate the texture and the smell of the pink salmon, but it still didn't come close to what I am used to. I didn't like it but it was worth giving it a taste. I am sending you a handshake and my support. Hang in there. Respectfully Alexander Lastik P.S. I don't know if it gets printed, but I sent you a small postcard with a picture of Vienna.

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