At the end of the last week in the Vestnik Kavkaza press center a meeting took place with the head of Ingushetia, Yunus-bek Yevkurov, during which he answered questions of journalists, having emphasized the need for the mass media to cover life in the Caucasus in its entirety.According to Yevkurov, Ingushetia and Moscow now have a policy aimed at reporting positive information about the Caucasus, especially in this way the deputy envoy in North Caucasus Federal District on domestic policy Mikhail Vedernikov has succeeded. The head of Ingushetia considers Vestnik Kavkaza to be a media outlet which has to provide objective information about the North Caucasus. As an example, he cited reports about violators of traffic rules: "If they are not spoken about, road accidents will be more frequent. Speaking about them prevents violations." However, according to Yevkurov, at the same time the mass media have to remove the label which has been attached to Caucasians.Answering a question about the Hajj put to him recently, Yunus-bek Yevkurov said: "I have many friends of different beliefs. When they spoke about pilgrimages to New Athos or to Jerusalem or to Mecca with a tremble in their voices, I didn't understand the reason for such emotions. They always told me: "Until you go, you will not understand what it is." But my position as the head of the republic didn't allow me to perform the Hajj – I have to be constantly in touch at all times."Nevertheless, the Hajj is a one of the pillars of Islam, a pilgrimage to the holy places of Mecca - every Muslim is obliged to do it at least once in their life if their finances and health allow it. "It is difficult, though I am physically prepared, but it is a difficult procedure to perform from beginning to end as a pilgrim. The main thing is that you understand that you are carrying out one of the obligatory pillars of Islam. I found the strength to go and to pass this test. I had no reasons not to perform the Hajj. Of course, it was pleasant to see people, including our compatriots, Muslims from the Caucasus, from all over Russia," the head of Ingushetia declared."While standing on Arafat, where the Almighty pays special attention to the requests of believers, I enquired of my fellow countrymen, Ingushetians, what they were asking for. They pray for Ingushetia, for Russia, but the most interesting fact is that many asked for peace in Ukraine. When I asked why, they answered: "We always lived together." God willing, the Almighty heard these prayers – Muslim pilgrims and Orthodox Christians. After all, at approximately the same time Christian pilgrims from Ingushetia travelled to Greece," Yevkurov said.Speaking about the role of Ingushetia in the North Caucasus, the head of the republic said that when he asks such questions of Ingush youth, he hears in reply: "We are the first!""Guys, let us not be the first, and not be the last. All the peoples of the Caucasus, all the peoples of Russia, let us be worthy. We must live worthily, represent our Ingush people, our Ingush culture, our traditions. The aspiration to be first doesn't happen without sweat, without blood. The aspiration to be first means constantly trying to crush someone. I see Ingushetia is worthy among the territorial subjects of the Russian Federation and among the people of Russia," Yevkurov declared."There is a good Caucasian proverb "sing the song of those on whose cart you are travelling." This concerns people who come to the Caucasus and Caucasians who go to other regions of Russia. Having arrived in another atmosphere, a person shouldn't impose their own ideas. He has to respect the local traditions and culture, preserving their uniqueness. If children from central Russia come to a Muslim republic, they have to know that it is impossible to go half-naked here, "to pin" little girls, to drink beer on streets. It doesn't mean that savages live there, but because such are rules of the game here. If you don't follow the rules, at the least you won't be understood and at worst you will run into conflict. The same situation applies to Caucasians who go beyond their territories, they have to understand that they are going to Rostov, Volgograd, Khabarovsk or Spain, and there are other customs and traditions, but it doesn't prevent people from communicating with each other, from being on friendly terms," the head of Ingushetia declared.In his opinion, if one learns to communicate with people there won't be misunderstandings: " Recently we held the "Battle of the Narts" (See "VK" "Fight of Narts in Nazran"). A European athlete was fighting our Tural Ragimov, who is of Azerbaijani descent, the European athlete was defending his championship title. When he was given the microphone, he said: "Salaam alaikum". Everyone applauded him. A person has to do such things to get respect. He showed that he knew where he had arrived, to whom he had arrived, knew how to behave himself, knew the culture, traditions and customs."
At the end of the last week in the Vestnik Kavkaza press center a meeting took place with the head of Ingushetia, Yunus-bek Yevkurov, during which he answered questions of journalists, having emphasized the need for the mass media to cover life in the Caucasus in its entirety.
According to Yevkurov, Ingushetia and Moscow now have a policy aimed at reporting positive information about the Caucasus, especially in this way the deputy envoy in North Caucasus Federal District on domestic policy Mikhail Vedernikov has succeeded. The head of Ingushetia considers Vestnik Kavkaza to be a media outlet which has to provide objective information about the North Caucasus. As an example, he cited reports about violators of traffic rules: "If they are not spoken about, road accidents will be more frequent. Speaking about them prevents violations."
However, according to Yevkurov, at the same time the mass media have to remove the label which has been attached to Caucasians.
Answering a question about the Hajj put to him recently, Yunus-bek Yevkurov said: "I have many friends of different beliefs. When they spoke about pilgrimages to New Athos or to Jerusalem or to Mecca with a tremble in their voices, I didn't understand the reason for such emotions. They always told me: "Until you go, you will not understand what it is." But my position as the head of the republic didn't allow me to perform the Hajj – I have to be constantly in touch at all times."
Nevertheless, the Hajj is a one of the pillars of Islam, a pilgrimage to the holy places of Mecca - every Muslim is obliged to do it at least once in their life if their finances and health allow it. "It is difficult, though I am physically prepared, but it is a difficult procedure to perform from beginning to end as a pilgrim. The main thing is that you understand that you are carrying out one of the obligatory pillars of Islam. I found the strength to go and to pass this test. I had no reasons not to perform the Hajj. Of course, it was pleasant to see people, including our compatriots, Muslims from the Caucasus, from all over Russia," the head of Ingushetia declared.
"While standing on Arafat, where the Almighty pays special attention to the requests of believers, I enquired of my fellow countrymen, Ingushetians, what they were asking for. They pray for Ingushetia, for Russia, but the most interesting fact is that many asked for peace in Ukraine. When I asked why, they answered: "We always lived together." God willing, the Almighty heard these prayers – Muslim pilgrims and Orthodox Christians. After all, at approximately the same time Christian pilgrims from Ingushetia travelled to Greece," Yevkurov said.
Speaking about the role of Ingushetia in the North Caucasus, the head of the republic said that when he asks such questions of Ingush youth, he hears in reply: "We are the first!"
"Guys, let us not be the first, and not be the last. All the peoples of the Caucasus, all the peoples of Russia, let us be worthy. We must live worthily, represent our Ingush people, our Ingush culture, our traditions. The aspiration to be first doesn't happen without sweat, without blood. The aspiration to be first means constantly trying to crush someone. I see Ingushetia is worthy among the territorial subjects of the Russian Federation and among the people of Russia," Yevkurov declared.
"There is a good Caucasian proverb "sing the song of those on whose cart you are travelling." This concerns people who come to the Caucasus and Caucasians who go to other regions of Russia. Having arrived in another atmosphere, a person shouldn't impose their own ideas. He has to respect the local traditions and culture, preserving their uniqueness. If children from central Russia come to a Muslim republic, they have to know that it is impossible to go half-naked here, "to pin" little girls, to drink beer on streets. It doesn't mean that savages live there, but because such are rules of the game here. If you don't follow the rules, at the least you won't be understood and at worst you will run into conflict. The same situation applies to Caucasians who go beyond their territories, they have to understand that they are going to Rostov, Volgograd, Khabarovsk or Spain, and there are other customs and traditions, but it doesn't prevent people from communicating with each other, from being on friendly terms," the head of Ingushetia declared.
In his opinion, if one learns to communicate with people there won't be misunderstandings: " Recently we held the "Battle of the Narts" (See "VK" "Fight of Narts in Nazran"). A European athlete was fighting our Tural Ragimov, who is of Azerbaijani descent, the European athlete was defending his championship title. When he was given the microphone, he said: "Salaam alaikum". Everyone applauded him. A person has to do such things to get respect. He showed that he knew where he had arrived, to whom he had arrived, knew how to behave himself, knew the culture, traditions and customs."
