In 2011 media-centre of the Finno-Ugric Peoples FINUGOR organizes international contest “Outstanding figures of the Finno-Ugric and Samoyedic peoples” (“The Name of the Finno-Ugric World”). The event begins in May 16, and covers Russia, Hungary, Finland, Estonia, and a range of other countries with Finno-Ugric population.

On the web-site of the media-centre FINUGOR (finugor.ru) everyone interested can offer a candidate – a real person (both living and once-lived) or a legendary character of the past of the Finno-Ugric and Samoyedic peoples. It should include a short description of his (person’s or a mythological or epic hero’s) life-story; illustrations are advisable.

According to the chief-editor of the media-centre Yuri Popov, the event is aimed at exciting interest and attention of the Finno-Ugric and Samoyedic peoples to the key personalities of their history and culture, who contributed a lot to the formation of the Uralic ethnic communities, foundation of the state system, development of the civil society, rise and development of the religious beliefs, the main traits of national character and the most essential cultural achievements.

“All the people interested, not only the Finno-Ugrians, can take part in the contest, - he emphasized. – It will enable us to attract attention of other nations of the World to the Uralic ethnic communities, their history, culture, national mentality peculiarities and present-day problems. The experience of the contest “Seven Wonders of the Finno-Ugric World”, held by the media-centre FINUGOR in 2010, demonstrated the high interest of peoples of other nationalities from different countries of the world in the history and culture of Finno-Ugric and Samoyedic peoples.”

International project “The Name of the Finno-Ugric World” is divided into 3 stages. Up to the end of August we will collect the candidates’ descriptions in several categories: legendary characters, historical figures (till the XX century), political and social leaders of the present, scientists, people of art, writers and poets, composers and performers.

A separate category is devoted to the friends of the Finno-Ugric and Samoyedic peoples – to the people who do not belong to these nations by origin.

The offered candidates will be evaluated according to the contest conditions by the experts from Russia, Hungary, Finland, and Estonia.

In the second stage of the contest (September-October) there will be elected by voting via Internet and sms the most popular candidates from each ethnos in each category.

In the final stage, which starts at the beginning of November, the seven most outstanding personalities will be chosen out of 25 or more candidates, presented in each category, who gain the most of votes according to the results of voting. They will be given the title «Name of the Finno-Ugric World”.

The summing-up of the contest will be held in December 2011.