The Moscow interdistrict situation center of presidential representatives in the federal districts hosted the first meeting of the Moscow Caucasian Club, designed to become an effective public-advisory platform bringing together representatives of public authorities, ethnic organizations and the expert community. As the deputy presidential envoy in the North Caucasus Federal District Mikhail Vedernikov said, the first meeting of the Moscow Caucasian Club was preceded by two traditional events: "First, we met with representatives of youth organizations working in Moscow and the Moscow region, and then there was a meeting with the heads of representative offices of the subjects of the North Caucasus city Moscow. Working with the national communities, for example, cultural and social integration coming to Moscow and the Moscow region, the prevention of crime, carried out both by public associations and government agencies. At the same time, the amount of work that is done by the authorities of Moscow, the Moscow region, the Interior Ministry, the permanent missions of our regions in Moscow is amicably impressive. We have heard about many interesting initiatives implemented by youth associations. They often lack the resources, including administrative, somewhere coordination, but the information activities chosen by them are aimed at the representatives of the North Caucasus, who come here to study and work."
As a striking example of this kind of activity, Vedernikov cited the traditional September meeting with students that, in his view, has an important educational idea. "We, in turn, through the system of coordination of all interested parties, are invited to give this work a new impetus. Together we will be able to make arrangements for cultural integration of a systemic nature. Unfortunately, often the participants of such actions and disputes are notorious activists, that is, that audience, which is in the so-called group of risk. Therefore, the official structures, based on an efficient and original social approach, need to run more versatile working methods with those who are coming from the North Caucasus, especially with young people. And these formats should be designed for general consumers and repeated involvement of the target audience. This will help to create an environment for reliable contact of an unlimited number of young people," Vedernikov said.
However, he said, it is not always possible to objectively judge the concrete results of this work: "How the developed method is consistent with the objectives, including the direction we are moving in, performing certain activities, whether we are achieving the ultimate goal. All this needs a specific assessment, which cannot be obtained without feedback, polls, statistics on the dynamics of the number of offenses committed by certain groups of people. We often rely on their empirical experience and ignore other people's achievements or simply don't know about them. Useful techniques should be developed and approved by professionals and experts in areas of interest to us. Participants in this process should be able to share experiences and best practices quickly, and consult with colleagues on the tactics of those or other tools."
In addition, according to Vedernikov, "Holding separate events for the natives of each particular region or one nation, we are not always facilitating their socialization and cultural adaptation to the new place of residence. We continue to collect so-called ‘national compartments.’ It is clear that such actions are necessary, they are just needed for certain purposes, but it seems appropriate to devote special attention to the inter-ethnic and multi-cultural format that allows representatives of various ethnic groups to integrate into a comfortable all-Russian space."
The Deputy Presidential Envoy to the North Caucasus Federal District said that "Unfortunately, sometimes informal ethnic societies present a united front, including in the information field, in defense of their representatives who have violated the law, it certainly results in an appropriate response, and a whole range of negative consequences. In a law-governed state, the rule of law is paramount. We should not set a precedent and encourage impunity. The question of crime prevention of people with deviant behavior should be one of the priorities of the Moscow Caucasus Club as part of the consistent work of the communities with the bodies of inquiry and the media."
In view of these circumstances, according to Vedernikov, it is necessary to start the practice of periodic meetings of the Moscow Caucasian Club site, which will allow planning, when needed, in emergency mode, to develop common solutions that reconcile the positions on all current issues, adjust joint steps, hear criticism, obtain the necessary information to set practical tasks for the authorized community.
Mikhail Vedernikov
The Permanent Representative of Dagestan to the President of the Russian Federation, Izumrud Mugutdinova, said that Makhachkala supported the establishment of the Moscow Caucasian Club. "Issues that are addressed one way or another, they affect us all, and decide they need to be together. These problems include social and cultural adaptation to the life of the capital for those who are coming from the North Caucasus to study or to work, their employment, prevention of conflicts on ethnic grounds." Mugutdinova recognized that armed conflicts and counterterrorism operations had alienated the republics of the North Caucasus Federal District, contributed to mistrust. Nevertheless, she said, the permanent representative of Dagestan has gained extensive experience in working with young people, with the public. "In recent years there has been a significant shift in the organization of inter-ethnic, inter-confessional relations. This is facilitated by the attention that the authorities give to these issues. First, there is the creation of the Federal Agency for the Affairs of Nationalities for the development and implementation of the state national policy. Secondly, there is the national policy strategy of the state of the Russian Federation for the period until 2025, which was approved in 2012. Thirdly, the activities of the Presidential Council for Interethnic Relations. People here began to feel themselves more comfortable in Moscow. Even the words "persons of the Caucasian nationality" have disappeared from the press."
Izumrud Mugutdinova noted that it has become much easier to interact with the media, the federal channels pay more attention to the North Caucasus, Rasul Gamzatov’s anniversary and the anniversary of Derbent were widely covered.
"We as members of the Moscow Caucasus Club, patriots of our country, we have much work to do to create a positive image, to show the reality that exists in the North Caucasus to the inhabitants of the capital, and to the country in general. Everyone is doing something within his community, his diaspora, but we try to go beyond the parochial events, to go for a serious, major, metropolitan area. I think the new venue of the Moscow Caucasian Club will allow us, together with representatives of the government, taking advantage of their support, along with MPs and public figures to develop new approaches to ensure the conservation and enhancement of the spiritual and cultural potential of our multinational people," Mugutdinova said.
The chairman of the Presidium of the Russian Congress of Peoples of the Caucasus, the president of the Foundation for Assistance of Karachay-Balkar youth ‘Elbrusoid’, Aly Totorkulov, said that the idea of establishing the Moscow Caucasian Club was embodied long ago: "It should have been done ten years ago. The Caucasus is relevant, the Caucasus is calm, the Caucasus, which thrives along with our country, this is paramount. When the whole world is rebuilt, the geopolitical situation is changing every day, it is important that the entire Caucasus as one fist is with its country. Even in the English clubs they are not only smoking cigars and drinking brandy, they are solving very serious issues. Therefore, the creation of the Caucasus Club, where there are many well-known, respected people, is welcomed."
In an interview to Vestnik Kavkaza the Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council, Ilyas Umakhanov, noted that the idea of the club is not only attractive, but also very timely: "This is dictated by the historical period, the time and the events taking place in our country and in a whole number of other countries. There are a range of creative tasks, which requires the consolidation of society, and there are problems that are related to the current moment, an active joint work of all state bodies, institutions of civic society in combating terrorism. Moscow is home to a huge number of representatives of the North Caucasus. It also requires reverse movement associated with the organic adaptation of young people and not only young people who come to the capital to learn, work and participate in various projects. It is important that this process runs smoothly without upheavals, without ethnic, inter-religious tension. In this regard, the Caucasian club can play a very positive, constructive and consolidating role."
The ex-President of Ingushetia, Murat Zyazikov, told Vestnik Kavkaza that "the North Caucasian youth forum was planned long ago, and that today in this format it's going to be a landmark event aimed at the consolidation of society, instilling in young people a sense of national pride, which is broader and deeper than the sense outlined by the same nationality. We are the children of one country, and this forum will not be pure. It brought together scientists, government officials and experts. We talked about the need for an expert community, but it is created to collect people so they can communicate with each other. This is very important in terms of what is happening in the world, in the context of globalization, in the face of what is a reassessment of the values."
Answering the question of what measures should be taken to counter the spread of extremism among young people, Zyazikov said: "This great work must begin at home, in preschool, be carried out in schools and universities. We have the Council on International Relations under the president, but we cannot speak only about the legal component, there must be a political education and a moral education and a military-patriotic education. There should be a set of measures, and none of these units should be omitted, because otherwise there will be a vacuum. "
The deputy of the State Duma, Zurab Makiyev, in an interview to Vestnik Kavkaza called the Moscow Caucasian Club an effective mechanism: "Our country faces serious challenges. This is what we see in Syria – a lot of young people from the North Caucasus are leaving to join the terrorist organization. Unfortunately, there they obtain experience of psychological struggle and combat, and then they come back. If the club will meet on a regular basis, it can help to prevent these phenomena, because our main task is to work with those who remain, and to make sure that young people do not leave. We should involve our students, our young people so that they feel comfortable here, and do not seek any terrorist organization."
Answering questions about what these measures should be, Zurab Makiyev said: "I previously worked as the permanent representative of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania in Moscow. The work we carried out was very serious, we created the Moscow Society of Ossetian Students, which included not only Ossetians, but natives of North Ossetia who have come to study in our capital. Every Friday and Saturday we gathered them at our site at the permanent mission, to carry out sports and intellectual activities – brain-rings, tennis tournaments. So we were fully aware of the problems of youth. And they saw that the leadership of the republic is interested and ready for open communication. Incidentally, this work continues. We have also held meetings with the head of the republic, with the Prime Minister, the ministers who came to us in Moscow on a business trip. The youth was very receptive. When they see that they can ask any question without preparation and get a quiet, open answer, it is very impressive."
