A proposal has been put forward to extend the Pushkin Card program to Russian pensioners or to launch a distinct, equivalent initiative for them. The initiative was sent to the head of the Ministry of Culture, Olga Lyubimova, by Deputy Pavel Krupnik of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly, with RT reporting a copy of the appeal as its source.
The deputy recalled that discussions about widening the list of citizens eligible to use the Pushkin Card have been ongoing for some time. He stressed that retirees should be among the first considered, arguing that they too have a strong appetite for cultural enrichment and meaningful access to cultural life. Krupnik asserted that extending the program would support the social integration of older Russians and boost their participation in the nation’s social and cultural spheres.
According to Krupnik, such an expansion would help pensioners engage more deeply with cultural offerings, contribute to intergenerational dialogue, and promote active civic life. He framed the idea as a way to ensure that cultural benefits are not limited by age, but rather widely shared across segments of society.
In related developments, Pushkin Maps previously proposed refunds for large families, and there was also a suggestion to introduce a so‑called teacher pass. This pass would allow teachers to participate in cultural events with their students free of charge, fostering educational visits and shared cultural experiences.
There have also been observations from other regions about similar approaches, including an analogue of the Pushkin Card for children under 13 years old, which illustrates ongoing interest in publicly supported access to culture across age groups.