The ‘Multiethnic Russia’ festival organized by the Federal Agency for Nationalities and JSC ‘VDBKh’ is taking place today at VDNKh. The festival will become one of the central events of the celebration of the Day of Russia.
The photo exhibition ‘Multinational Russia’ was also organized in the context of the festival at the central lane of VDNKh. Russian pop and sport stars participated in a special photo session in national costumes of their peoples, as well as told stories about what role national traditions, customs and culture played in their lives. Russian singer, TV presenter, Honored Artist of Russia Anita Choi, singer, finalist of the ‘Fabrika Zvezd’ project Sati Kazanova, boxer, Intercontinental IBO Champion Denis Shafikov, actor and member of the ‘Quartet I’ Kamil Larin; dancer, choreographer Yevgeny Papunaishvili; the presenter of the TV programe ‘Heads and Tails’ singer Regina Todorenko and others participated in the photo project.
The International food court was near the fountain ‘Friendship of Nations where people could taste dishes of Russian, Ukrainian, Armenian, Greek, Korean, Tatar, Azerbaijani, Georgian, Hebrew, Turkish cuisine, as well the cuisine of North peoples. A street fair was open at the pavilion 58. Russian, Armenian, Tatar, Ukrainian, Greek and other national masters present their paintings, crafts, jewelry, and household items in 25 wooden chalets.
The ethnographic park-museum ‘Ethnomir’ was opened in front of the fountain ‘Stone flower’ where people could see real yurts, raw-hide tents and Russian huts, receive information about items of peoples’ ways of life and participate in the Tuvan tea ceremony and painting, knitting of laces and dolls-amulets making master classes.
Thanks to the ‘I know Russia’ project festival guests were to compete in their knowledge of the federal structure, geography and history of our country. Participants matched different parts of the Russian Federation map in the shortest time.
Magomedsalam Magomedov noted that today's holiday, the Day of Russia, is very important for the country.
"Vladimir Putin said today at the presentation of state awards that it is a holiday, which symbolizes such concepts as homeland, the unity of the peoples. Indeed, we are proud of our diversity, multiculturalism, multi-religiousness. At the same time, we strive to make Russia powerful and unified country in order to each of us love the country regardless of his nationality and faith," he said.
"Such festivals are one of contributions to strengthen friendship, national unity, harmony and concord. The festival is actively supported by the Federal Agency for the Affairs of Nationalities,’’ Magomedov said.
The head of the Federal Agency for Nationalities Igor Barinov drew attention to the fact that June 12th is a new general public holiday, but it will become very significant for the entire country in the near future.
"It is symbolic that today this event is one of the main events in Moscow. It is organized at VDNKh because historically events took place here since the establishment of VDNKh. The entire country demonstrated its achievements, traditions, cultures. We had no doubts about the venue of the Day of Russia,’’ Igor Barinov, thanking for the Moscow government and the VDNKh authorities for the help in the organization.
The head of the national policy at the Department of Interregional Relations and Tourism of the city of Moscow Vladimir Chernikov said that Moscow residents and tourists like the festivals that take place in the city.
"But today is a special day and the festival is also special. I thinks that these happy faces who are here now are the best reward for all of us.’’
"Moscow is a multinational city. 160 nationalities live in the capital and it is very important to understand that we are one, we all are Russians,’’ Vladimir Chernikov noted.
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The chairman of the Guild of ethnic journalism Margarita Lyange said in an interview with a ‘Vestnik Kavkaza’ correspondent that the Caucasus as an integral part of multinational Russia, noting that in recent years public opinion about the region changed in a positive way.
"Unfortunately, during the last 10-15 years the Caucasus associated with problems in the Russian public consciousness, but now trend is fading away. We start understanding that the Caucasus has really rich culture. This is the place where you can have a good rest. Interesting and hospitable people live there. It is a great culture. I think it is great that we are on the way to understand this,’’ she noted.
However, according to Margarita Lyange, a lot of effort were have been made to form the negative image of the Caucasus, that is why some people have a lot of prejudices about the region.
"It is necessary to travel more there and the fear will disappear. Both the Caucasus, and the other regions of the country come to life, therefore the attitude towards the Caucasus significantly changes. But it seems to me that we, including journalists, should make further efforts to recover the positive image of the Caucasus,’’ Lyange concluded.
