By Vestnik Kavkaza
On June 14th the legendary Russian Geography Society hosted the round table titled “Opening Up Dagestan.” Today, like 150 years ago, the Russian Geography Society studies the Caucasus. Its nature, ethnic groups living in the region are still attractive for specialists.
The member of the Russian Geography Society Ilya Gurov noted that interest to the Caucasus is present in Russia. “People want to study the Caucasus, to know more about it. We have expedition projects in the region. In 2012 it was the expedition “Caspian Atlantis”, within which a group from the Russian Geography Society studied a part of Derbent flooded by the Caspian Sea. We studied the high-mountain Kezenoy-am Lake on the border between Chechnya and Dagestan. I hope that we will continue cooperation with our republics, especially with our friends from the Caucasus and Dagestan,” Ilya Gurov said during the round table.
Employees of the Permanent Office of Dagestan, social activists, climbers, and journalists discussed touristic potential of the republic which is rich with cultural and natural resources. Zumrud Mugutdinova, the deputy permanent envoy of Dagestan under President of Russia, believes that each person opens Dagestan differently. “Dagestan is a unique republic, with unique nature, with very beautiful landscape where one can see mountains, the sea, sands, subtropical climate, as well as unique culture and history. More than 33 ethnic groups living in the republic speak different languages. 2013 is full of anniversaries for Dagestan. Firstly, this year in September we mark the 90th anniversary of birth of People’s Poet of Dagestan, Rasul Gamzatov. Secondly, 2013 is a year of the 200th anniversary of Dagestan’s joining Russia. This year we begin arrangements devoted to the 2000th anniversary of the ancient city Derbent. The aim of the permanent office is to promote a positive image of our republic,” he said.
Climber Yugeny Kozorezov shared his professional view on the topic: “Dagestan differs from the Central Caucasus, even though it is the Caucasus. From the geological and structural point of view, it resembles a mountain area close to the Pamir. So, the organization of tourism which is typical for the Central and Western Caucasus is not suitable for Dagestan, unfortunately. Dagestan should be directed at tourism, tracking. It is a more active and massive kind of tourism than climbing. Dagestan has capacities for development of climbing from the first to the sixth category of difficulty; but this is for elite, not for common people. Speaking about economy, some venture investments should be made. Young people should be attracted by this beauty. Only this foundament can enable development of massive tourism.”
Representatives of the information and analysis agency Vestnik Kavkaza were present at the event. Supported by the permanent office of Dagestan and the Russian Geography Society, Vestnik Kavkaza begins shooting a series of documentaries devoted to handcrafts of the republic in August. Journalist Gia Saralidze thinks that Dagestan is a land of mountains, beautiful nature, splendid cuisines, a republic where many ethnic groups live, nut not only this. “The point is that this is a place of vary hard-working people who can do masterpieces. We would like to show these people in our documentaries, who are not only hospitable, courageous, generous, but also very hard-working,” Gia Saralidze said.
