Svetlana Medvedeva
Encyclopedia
Svetlana Vladimirovna Medvedeva ' onMouseout='HidePop("51883")' href="/topics/NEE">née
Linnik) (born 15 March 1965), is the wife of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
and thus the First Lady of Russia
.
, a town administered by Leningrad
. She was the youngest daughter of her parents.
Svetlana was active in extracurricular activities in school and took active part in school-held KVN
s, spectacles, performances and other events. She met her future husband in middle school
#305, in Kupchino
, near Leningrad
.
In 1987, she began study at the Saint Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance
. In her first year of university, she switched to evening courses and started working full time. The Medvedevs married in 1993, after they had completed their studies. In 1995, she gave birth to their son Ilya and stopped working. In the same year she was baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church
.
– Saint Petersburg
and Venice
– Saint Petersburg
which intended to develop tourism between these cities. In 2006, she initiated the annual Russian art festival in Bari
, Italy.
Medvedeva became First Lady when her husband, Dmitry Medvedev
, took over as president following his victory in Russian Presidential elections
on 7 May 2008. In the same year, she headed the initiative for the institution of Family Day in Russia. She has already caused something of a media frenzy even though she shies away from photographers and rarely gives interviews.
Medvedeva currently chairs the management council of multitier program Spiritual and moral culture of younger generation of Russia created with blessing of Alexy II of Moscow. In a recent interview, Svetlana detailed her views on the interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church
and the government of Russia in promoting family policies. She has taken up the pro-life
cause in Russia's efforts to restrict abortion in 2011.
In addition to her native language Russian, Medvedeva speaks French.
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Linnik) (born 15 March 1965), is the wife of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
and thus the First Lady of Russia
First Lady of Russia
First Lady of Russia is the unofficial title of the wife of the President of Russia.The post is highly ceremonial and in fact once caused severe controversy when it was thought that the First Lady took too much involvement in their husband's post....
.
Early years
Svetlana Linnik was born into a military family in KronstadtKronstadt
Kronstadt , also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt |crown]]" and Stadt for "city"); is a municipal town in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city of St. Petersburg, Russia, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg proper near the head of the Gulf of Finland. Population: It is also...
, a town administered by Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
. She was the youngest daughter of her parents.
Svetlana was active in extracurricular activities in school and took active part in school-held KVN
KVN
KVN is a Russian humour TV show and competition where teams compete by giving funny answers to questions and showing prepared sketches. The programme was first aired by the First Soviet Channel on November 8, 1961...
s, spectacles, performances and other events. She met her future husband in middle school
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
#305, in Kupchino
Kupchino
Kupchino is a station on the Moskovsko-Petrogradskaya Line of the Saint Petersburg Metro. It was opened on December 25, 1972. It was designed by K.N. Afonskya, A.C. Getskin and I.E. Sergeyeva...
, near Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
.
In 1987, she began study at the Saint Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance
Saint Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance
Saint Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance was established in 1930 as "Leningrad Institute of Finance and Economics"...
. In her first year of university, she switched to evening courses and started working full time. The Medvedevs married in 1993, after they had completed their studies. In 1995, she gave birth to their son Ilya and stopped working. In the same year she was baptized into the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
.
Political activity
After the couple moved to Moscow, Medvedeva directed several Russian-Italian initiatives Sister cities MilanMilan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
– Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
– Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
which intended to develop tourism between these cities. In 2006, she initiated the annual Russian art festival in Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
, Italy.
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
, took over as president following his victory in Russian Presidential elections
Russian presidential election, 2008
The Russian Presidential election of 2008, held on March 2, 2008 resulted in the election of Dmitry Medvedev as the third President of Russia. Medvedev, whose candidacy was supported by incumbent president Vladimir Putin and five political parties , received 71% of the vote, and defeated...
on 7 May 2008. In the same year, she headed the initiative for the institution of Family Day in Russia. She has already caused something of a media frenzy even though she shies away from photographers and rarely gives interviews.
Medvedeva currently chairs the management council of multitier program Spiritual and moral culture of younger generation of Russia created with blessing of Alexy II of Moscow. In a recent interview, Svetlana detailed her views on the interaction between the Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
and the government of Russia in promoting family policies. She has taken up the pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
cause in Russia's efforts to restrict abortion in 2011.
In addition to her native language Russian, Medvedeva speaks French.