Bashkiria «in all its glory» in Paris
Rosbalt-Volga district
The international presentation «Bashkortostan: 450-years together with Russia» has passed at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris under the sign of the great fellow citizen dancer Rudolf Nureyev and was finished with a grandiose gala concert of republican artists.
Before the beginning of the presentation members of Bashkiria official delegation consisting almost from 300 people, headed by the Prime minister Raphael Baydavletov, laid flowers to the grave of the well-known dancer, the native of Ufa Rudolf Nureyev buried at the cemetery Sainte-Geneviève-des-Bois in Paris.
For the first time after leaving this world in January, 1993 the king of the world ballet second to none was delivered live scarlet and yellow roses which were grown on his native land, in Bashkiria, which he always remembered. At UNESCO Headquarters while the meeting of the Deputy Director-General of international organisation Marcio Barbosa with Raphael Baydavletov the great dancer was also recollected. According to Barbosa, the UNESCO is ready to include Rudolf Nureyev’s creativity in the list of its cultural heritage and is going to participate in preparation and carrying out in Ufa the international festival of his name. We will remind that the festival of ballet art by the name of the great dancer has been held in the capital of Bashkiria for 14 years already. The Prime minister presented to his interlocutor a memorable souvenir — a picture, where Rudolf Nureyev was depicted on the bank of the river Belaya in Ufa.
Prospects of future cooperation were discussed at the meeting. Special interest of UNESCO was called by the initiative of Bashkiria to develop its education system. Marcio Barbosa also expressed his opinion that «the world community should know better about success of Bashkortostan in social adaptation and integration of representatives of various religious beliefs, this positive experience should be shared.»
In his turn, Baydavletov thanked Barbosa for possibility to show to the world community achievements of the republic and marked that «cooperation between RB and UNESCO has wide prospects».
Making comments on the joint communiqué signed following the results of this meeting, Alexander Avdeev, the Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Russian Federation in France underlined that the document expands further mutually beneficial cooperation — now Bashkortostan through UNESCO means will show to the world community how more than hundred nationalities can live in peace and accord».
At the opening of the scientific seminar «Cultural and language pluralism in Bashkortostan Republic» Vladimir Kalamanov, the Permanent representative of the Russian Federation at UNESCO said about interesting experience in teaching representatives of different cultures. He also marked that teaching in educational institutions of Bashkortostan is conducted in six languages, and pupils have possibility to study 14 native and foreign languages.
lldus Ilishev, the Deputy Premier minister of Government RB, underlined that one of priorities of Bashkortostan national policy is preservation and strengthening of international relations, creation of conditions for national cultures and native languages development.
According to Mr. Rick Smiths, the chief of department of non-material cultural heritage of UNESCO, the experience of Bashkortostan in matters of native languages preservation completely meets the standards and main ideals of UNESCO, which, declared year of 2008 as International Year of Languages. «Unfortunately, all over the world the tendency of disappearance of languages is now observed, but I am sure that it won’t happen with the Bashkir language», —Smiths said. Summing up the discussions, participants of the seminar agreed in opinion that any language is social and cultural world value providing continuity of cultural experience of mankind.
Special atmosphere at the seminar was created by Bonaparte Napoleon march executed by Yulay Gaynetdinov, the known kurai player, and the fragment from the epos «Ural-Batyr» which is a spiritual heritage of the Bashkir people and a literary monument of world value.
The exhibition «Magic of Kurai», located on the area of 745 square metres became the presentation culmination. The exposition described the past, present and future of Bashkortostan, telling about, in particular, features of everyday life, traditional crafts — kumiss making, beekeeping and wild-hive beekeeping, about development of industry, building and sports.
As a sign of support of the initiative on foundation of the international museum of traditional sports and games Bashkiria presented to UNESCO seven sports attributes of national sports. The place in the museum exposition will be forever occupied by a saddle, bridle, lash, bow, arrow and a weight — attributes of some national sports cultivated in Bashkortostan. The UNESCO museum was also given a complete set of medals and a talisman — «Bashkir bee» of the sixth World championship on belt wrestling, which was held in Ufa.
Bashkiria became the fifth region of the Russian Federation, which presentation took place at UNESCO Headquarters, and the second subject of the country, signed the memorandum of cooperation with this organisation.
