by Yekaterina Tesemnikova exclusively for VK
Ever since Moscow came up with the idea of opening youth camps in the North Caucasus a few year ago, organizers have constantly been emphasizing that such projects resemble Seliger. They take the peculiarities of local mentality into account. For example, part of the Mashuk camp session was set for Ramadan, far for the Assumption Fast for consolidation. Muslims had special namaz sites. The All-Russian and Caucasus camp had own peculiarities, but its content and ideology had no obvious differences. The Russian government has decided to introduce changes to youth policy after public protests over parliamentary polls.
Numerous youth forums were set for spring and summer in the North Caucasian Federal District, but the format of ideology remains unclear so far. The projects will start in just two weeks.
On April 23-27, Karachay-Cherkessia will host the All-Caucasian Youth Forum “New Generation”. 400 delegates will discuss young businessmen and science.
On May 14-17, Ingushetia will hold the inter-regional youth forum “Armkhi-2012”. 300 participants will promote voluntary sports activities and a fit lifestyle.
On May 22-26, the Ministry of Physical Education, Sports and Youth Policy of the Stavropol Territory will host the inter-regional youth forum (Search). 450 delegates will discuss public activities, leaders and winners of public opinion and politics.
On May 25-29, the North Ossetian Ministry for Youth, Physical Education and Sports will gather 300 people for the All-Caucasus Youth Forum “New Generation” to discuss information technologies, journalism, film direction and broadcasting.
On June 5-9, the Dagestani committee for youth policy will host the “Caspian-2012” educational forum. 450 people will have a cultural dialogue on visual arts, music, handicraft art, subculture, acting, history and literature.
On June 9-13, Chechnya will host the All-Caucasian Youth Cultural and Educational Camp “Kazennoy-Am”. About 500 people will discuss tourism.
Mashuk will traditionally be held on July 1-17. Organizers have warned that they will not allow people younger 18 and older than 30 to join. 2500 participants will discuss potential of young people of the North Caucasus, voluntarism, education, innovations, journalism and bloggers, information space, service and tourism, business and activism.
The opposition has pointed out the high costs of organizing such forums only to train “staff loyal to the authorities”. But even before the “white ribbon” movements, opposition tried to respond by organizing alternate projects, such as the Che Guevara Camp on the Black Sea Coast or “Antiseliger” in the Khimkinsky Forest.
Talks on the crisis of pro-Kremlin youth started in December 2011. The Nashi Movement tried to take the central squares of “white ribbons” in Moscow to oppose Putin’s opposition after the elections in March. Activists denied rumours about dissolution of Nashi. Others say that their format will undergo major changes.
Promotion of the leader of Nashi, VLadislav Surkov, Deputy Chief of the Presidential Administration, to work at the government is not the only reason for adjustments. Experts assure that opposition demonstrated “disproportion between active youth organizations and the simplicity of the content they offer”. One of Nashi’s goals is to prevent “color revolutions” in Russia. Post-electoral protests in Russian cities showed that blaming the West with its constant searches will hardly work. Work with young people will most likely be organized under different standards. The regional block in managing the president’s policy may play a sufficient role in forming the youth policy of the Caucasus. Ъ reported last week that another deputy chief for regional policy was appointed. Alexey Anisimov, deputy head of Vladimir Putin’s electoral office, took the position. He will supervise two departments, one for social monitoring and one for regional policy to concentrate on forecasting, analysis of regional policy, strategy of political development and all elections in the Russian regions.
