HSE Takes Part in Sber’s Green Marathon
The Green Marathon, organised by Sber, took place in Moscow. Several thousand people ran distances ranging from 4.2 to 21.2 kilometres, including the HSE Running Club team, HSE Rector Nikita Anisimov, and Sber’s CEO German Gref, who took part in the race alongside his son.
The run was held in the very heart of the capital: starting at Vasilyevskiy Spusk, and moving along the embankments to the Kotelnicheskaya Embankment, back to the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge, then towards the Sparrow Hills, and finishing back at the starting point on Vasilyevskiy Spusk. Participants could choose from three distances: 4.2 km, 10 km, and 21.2 km.
‘I think it turned out to be a fantastic celebration,’ said Nikita Anisimov. ‘Running is a wonderfully democratic sport—it brings people together, requires no special equipment or preparation. You just need to get outside, no matter the weather, and you are instantly among like-minded people and friends.’
Dmitry Polozkov was among the HSE students taking part in the marathon—for the first time in his life, he had the chance to start a race near the Kremlin.
‘Running is my main sport,’ he said. ‘Since the age of 12, I have been a sprinter, mostly the 100-metre race. At university, I started participating in amateur long-distance runs.’ According to Dmitry, it does not take much to get into running regularly. ‘Just go to the nearest park or track, wherever it is quiet and the air is clean, run for ten minutes and you will fall in love with the sport,’ he advised.
Members of the HSE Running Club came out to support the runners: they greeted participants at the start and finish lines, cheered them on loudly, and took memorable photos. The energy and encouragement created a special festive atmosphere, adding vibrant emotions to the sporting event. Among the supporters was Daria Morozova, an analyst at the Project Office of the AI Research Centre. ‘The Green Marathon is a brilliant opportunity to draw inspiration not only from each other’s professional achievements, but also from personal victories. All of these help foster joint projects and a human-centred approach,’ Daria noted.
The development of partnerships within the academic and R&D communities cannot be overestimated, as engagement takes place first and foremost between people rather than institutions. Communication during unifying events, whether it be sporting, ideological, or scientific, helps build trusting relationships based on shared interests, open dialogue, and the effective exchange of ideas, knowledge, and experience.