Taking part in the conference were Head of the Republic of Karelia Artur Parfenchikov, Deputy Head of the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs Stanislav Bedkin, representatives of the executive and legislative bodies of the constituent entities and municipalities, Board member of the Presidential Council on Inter-ethnic Relations and Council Chairman of the Association of the Finno-Ugric Peoples Pyotr Tultayev, as well as members of the academic and expert communities.
Speaking at the gathering, Magomedsalam Magomedov noted that the special military operation in Ukraine highlighted a number of issues directly related to the state ethnic policy. He stressed that the unparalleled consolidation of the multi-ethnic Russian nation must become a response to the challenges of the so-called “cancelling” of Russia. He added that ethnic and cultural associations of our country, both federal and regional, are actively showing this consolidation as they joined events on information support of the President’s decisions and rendering humanitarian aid to the residents of the Donetsk and Lugansk people’s republics and the liberated areas in Ukraine.
The Deputy Chief of Staff of the Presidential Executive Office also focussed on specific issues of implementing the state ethnic policy in the regions of the federal district, noting that 78.5 percent of the Northwestern Federal District’s residents hold a positive view of the state of inter-ethnic relations, which is more than the national average of 77.7 percent.
Special emphasis was laid on the importance of measures to enhance Russian identity, the unity of the Russian nation, preservation of ethnic and cultural diversity through events within the Year of Cultural Heritage of Russia’s Peoples held this year, and also the need to further step up the efficiency of managing and coordinating the performance of government bodies at all levels, monitoring the situation and ensuring unified approaches to the implementation of the State Ethnic Policy Strategy.
Tasks were set separately on a range of issues related to the indigenous small peoples on the North who enjoy special protection in the Russian Federation.
Also, Finno-Ugric issues, promotion of the Assembly of the Peoples of Russia public state organisation and the network of regional centres in conjunction with the House of Russia’s Peoples. The Republic of Karelia’s extensive experience in the area of inter-ethnic relations was presented.
Respective decisions were adopted following the seminar-conference.
During the trip, Magomedsalam Magomedov also had a working meeting with Head of the Republic of Karelia Artur Parfenchikov to discuss current issues of socioeconomic development and inter-ethnic relations.