The head of the Committee of Foreign Relations of the Youth Parliament of Karelia Republic Maxim Mashin presented the project of the republic law “About celebration of the Days of related nations in Karelia Republic” during the session of The Youth Parliament 18 of April. IA “KarelInform” tells about it. The document was been worked out under the guidance of deputy of The Youth Parliament of Karelia, the officer of Karelian youth social organization “Nuori Karjala” Alex Tsykarev.

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Traditionally the Day of Finno-Ugric nations is been celebrated not officially in third Saturday of October in all regions of Russia, where the Finno-Ugric nations live, and in Finland. In Estonia, the day of related nations is the official holiday since 2011, in Hungary since 2013. To give this holiday the official status in Karelia will attract the attention of authorities to the questions of saving of culture of Finno-Ugric nations, think the authors of the project.

The number of people who speak the Karelian shortens steadily. Due to the facts of Russian National Census 2010 the number of Karelian which recognize their national language, reduced from 50,6 to 36,8 percent (since 1989). 

The official celebrating of The Day of related nations will strengthen not only interregional connections, but also the cultural exchange with foreign countries. The holiday means the holding of cultural festivals, expeditions and other activities. 

The elder colleagues of young parliamentarians took part in the session, in particular the chairperson of Karelian Parliament Vladimir Semenov.