Recently RIA Novosti managed to gather representatives of extreme right and extreme left views in the context of normalization of inter-ethnic relations. The initiators and participants of the meeting worried that the parties would start fighting. However, common sense prevailed and the process of dialogue was started. As a result, the programme 'Dialogue' was developed, which was supported by the Institute of Regional Problems. Participants in the project want to achieve mutual understanding between various cultures, ethnic groups and confessions through direct communication.
The first phase of the project was to be held in mid-October in Dagestan, where more than a dozen participants of 'Dialogue' arrived, headed by the director of the Institute for Regional Problems, Dmitry Zhuravlev. They visited Makhachkala, Derbent, Khasavyurt and Kizlyar.
The coordinator for inter-ethnic and inter-confessional relations of United Russia, the Dagestanian Biysultan Khamzayev, stated: “Dagestan was first to participate in the Dialogue programme. The official representative of the republic in Moscow Gadzhi Makhachyev said he “understood the point of the project.” The idea of the programme is to gather problems, visit all the North Caucasian republics, form a group for respected people of various views to define the Russian Federation's identity and an adequate perception of the Russian Caucasus by the Russian, Moscow, part of the population.”
The delegation met the head of Dagestan. They discussed overcoming existing stereotypes, which prevent natural development of inter-ethnic relations and establishing an all-Russian identity. “We arrived not only to register some problems in Dagestan, but also to find solutions. Maybe we’ll fail, but we have to try. Ordinary guys in Derbent spoke about interesting things,” Zhuravlev said. “We saw many achievements of young people, but nobody knows about them.”
“It is the responsibility of the mass media,” Magomedsalam Magomedov replied, proceeding to name achievements that have not been covered by the media: the opening of schools, hospitals, sports' centers and the holding of festivals.
Zhuravlev thinks that the media doesn’t cover these events because “the mass media is a slave of technology. We have to search for other ways of spreading information (social networks, non-governmental organizations), which later pin the media down to facts. Let’s use mutual capabilities to solve problems practically.”
The head of the Institute for Regional Problems believes that information precedents should be created. “The visit to Dagestan by such a delegation is an information precedent. Radio, television and newspapers will cover it,” he guaranteed. He added that non-governmental organizations have facilities too. They have social networks, not only electronic, but also real ones.
A member of the Social Council “Young Guard of United Russia”, Veniamin Rodnyansky, stated that ethnic problems were being forgotten by politicians, which was why an imbalance had appeared. Often economic, political and internal conflicts are hidden behind a mask of ethnic problems. Inter-ethnic problems exist in towns and cities. Dagestan has one of the highest birth rates and migration rates compared to other regions.
Rodnyansky suggested the authorities of the republic support the projects “Guys from our neighborhood” on involving young people in yard sports and reviving yard culture. Sporting celebrities will participate in the project.
A member of the Council of the Congress of Russian Communities, Alexander Bosykh, said that the main problem of inter-ethnic relations is absence of direct dialogue: “Politicians and experts speak for us, but there is no direct communication.”
Musa Musayev, Makhachkala. Exclusively to VK.
