Artek was founded in 1925 on the Crimean Black Sea cost not far from Gurzuf small town and the Bear mount. That period was very difficult for the yang Soviet country after WW1, two revolutions (February 1917 and November 1917), Civil War. Millions deaths, famine, thousands orphans, waifs and strays. Bolshevik's government decided to organize a special place (small camp) in very healthy and beautiful Crimea for that children from the northern areas of Soviet Union. First activist and founder of this place was Solovyov.
In accordance with the descision of the Communist Party and the Soviet Government on June, 16th, in Gurzuf, at the foot of Mt. Ayu-Dag the first in the country children`s camp-sanatorium was established, in the future a health center - Artek All-Union Young Pioneer Camp. This event has been immortalized by the monuments, commemorative sighs. In honour of the Camp`s organizer Zinovi Solovyov, in honour of Artek`s opening and "the Friendship of the children of all the world..."
Eighty children were hosted in 1925. But soon Artek became not only the All-Union camp, but the international also. In 1969 it occupied about 3.2 sq kilometers: 150 different buildings, special school, several medical centers, own youth film studio "Artekfilm", the stadium for sport activities for 7.000 seats, three swimming pools, garage, own dock and marina, many dancing places, theatre ect.
Unlike most of the Soviet pupil's pioneer camps, Artek is an all-seasons camp, as the Crimean climate.
Artek is a group of 11 smaller camps structurally, located along the coast (about 5 km). About 27.000 children rested in Artek every year. From 1925 until 1969 this place hosted about 300.000 children (13.000 from 70 countries)! Many famous guests of that times visited this "children's republic": Soviet leaders Nikita Khrushchov and Leonid Brezhnev, first cosmonaut Yuriy Gagarin, first women-cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova, foreign leaders Indira Gandi, Urkho Kekkonen, Otto Schmidt, Jawaharlar Neru and others. In 2004 UNESCO officially recognized Artek as a place for realization of
international youth and children`s projects. Nowadays Artek is the state property of Ukraine, and the business card of children`s and youth activity.
| 
