Positive experience of Bashkortostan is marked at the IV Congress of Finno-Ugric nations

The IV Congress of Finno-Ugric nations of Russian Federation has taken place on September 24-26 in Saransk. President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev called the Congress “the largest humanitarian event”. 166 delegates, elected by the regional public Finno-Ugric organizations, arrived in Saransk plus 47 observers and guests from 32 Russian regions. Bashkortostan was presented at the Congress by the chairman of Finno-Ugric Nations Association RB and Mordvinian cultural autonomy RB Nikolai Gerasimov, the chairman of Mari national-cultural autonomy “ERVEL MARI” RB Paul Bikmurzin, the chairman of Kaltasinsky regional division of “ERVEL MARI” Theodore Bikbatyrov and by the director of Udmurt historical-cultural center “The village of NOVYE TATYSHLY” Antonida Shaibakova.

Chairman of Russian Federation Council Sergey Mironov, Chairman of Russian State Duma Boris Gryzlov, Moscow Mayor Uri Luzkov, President RB Murtaza Rakhimov and other leaders of Russian regions sent their greetings to the address of the Congress’s participants.

At the final session of the Congress and in the course of the section meetings the participants of the Congress pointed to the positive experience of Bashkortostan in realization of inter-ethnic policy and preservation and development of spiritual and cultural traditions of Finno-Ugric nations.

The delegates from Bashkortostan Paul Bikmurzin and Nikolai Gerasimov were elected into the staff of the Finno-Ugric Nations Association Council by the majority of votes.

For the reference: According to the all-Russian population census-2002 about 106 thousand Mari people, more than 26 thousand Mordvinians and more than 22 thousand Udmurts live in Republic of Bashkortostan at present time.