On 28 October, the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris will host a number of Russian events within the “Day of Ugra”, a presentation of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra.
The global humanitarian organization will host a round-table discussion on the problems of cultural and linguistic diversity in cyberspace, an exhibition of graphics “Legend of Ugra”, thematic exhibition “The Many Faces of Ugra” dedicated to the various aspects of the this Russian region’s academic and cultural life, and a gala concert to be performed by masters of art on UNESCO’s main stage.
The official delegation will be headed by Ms. Natalia Komarova, Governor of Ugra, member of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO.
The presentation will include a number of events showcasing Ugra’s history, its unique nature, cultural heritage, advanced research and technologies, a round-table meeting will discuss the problems of cultural and linguistic diversity in cyberspace.
The multimedia area of the specially prepared thematic exhibition will feature a video wall playing a presentation film about Ugra and a touch screen with an interactive presentation, a promo clip about the region as well as a virtual tour of the Man and Nature Museum.
The part of the exhibition devoted to traditional northern indigenous cultures will give visitors an opportunity to learn about Khanty and Mansi peoples’ traditional houses, household utensils and clothes, to attend master-classes on indigenous arts and crafts and an exhibition of books in the Khanty and Mansi languages.
Ugra’s best performance teams will perform at a gala concert of masters of arts on UNESCO’s main stage.
Following the presentation, a joint communique is to be signed by UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova and Governor Natalia Komarova of Ugra. The communique will outline priority areas of further cooperation between UNESCO and Ugra in the fields of education, science, culture, ecology, communication and information.
As a new area of cooperation with UNESCO, a provision is made for a UNEVOC Center (International Centre for Technical and Vocational Education and Training) to be established at the Arts Center for Talented Children of the North. According to Natalia Komarova, “this center will help our Arts Center enter the international educational network uniting 167 countries and about 300 such centers. Such cooperation will make it possible to use advanced educational standards and techniques, widen the international student exchange, raise the competitiveness of Ugra’s education”.
The document also provides for the participation of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomos Okrug – Ugra in UNESCO programs Education for All and Information for All, the development of a system of technical and vocational education and training through the enhancement of its quality and attractiveness to young people, participation of research institutes and experts of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra in the activities of the UNESCO natural sciences programs, research work to be carried out on the impact of climate change on water resources and ecosystems of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra, broadening the participation of educational institutions of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra in the UNESCO Associated Schools Project Network through the development of joint projects at the national, regional, and international level.
Additionally, the 2nd international congress of traditional art culture “Problems of Fundamental Research in Folk Arts” and the 8th international festival of the world’s indigenous arts and crafts “Ugra” are to be held in Ugra under UNESCO aegis before the end of 2014. Other events to take place in Ugra under UNESCO aegis include the International Art Plein-Air project and the 8th International IT Forum with BRICS and SCO participation.
A special issue of the UNESCO Bulletin – a periodical published by the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO – dedicated to the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra will be presented to the participants of the Day of Ugra. The bulletin will include exhaustive information on the mutually beneficial cooperation between the region and the global organization, the implementation of joint projects in the fields of education, culture, ecology and information space, as well as materials on Ugra’s history and development, its natural and cultural wealth.
The information is divided into 11 sections: “Jewel of the new Siberia”, “Ugra + UNESCO, the North becomes warmer”, “Diverse palette of the single culture”, “Portraits of Ugra in colors and images”, “Sensitive information nerve”, “Education in the taiga-electronic age”, “Young talent – Ugra’s wealth”, “University’s universal mission”, “Nature has no bad years”, “The planet’s past and future under the microscope”, “Time machine in all dimensions”.
The UNESCO Bulletin will contain an address by Mr. Sergey Lavrov, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation chairing the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO. The Minister has praised the contribution to the development of the national economy made by Ugra, one of Russia’s most economically developed and investment-attractive regions and its key oil and gas producing province. “Ugra’s unique characteristics predetermine the areas of its multifaceted partnership with UNESCO which is of special significance for the preservation and further enrichment of the region’s huge historical and cultural wealth”.
It will be recalled that the Government of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Ugra and the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO have been fruitfully cooperating for over 13 years now. A solid foundation has been built in Ugra for the successful implementation of joint projects. A Branch of the Commission of the Russian Federation for UNESCO has been established. There are three UNESCO Associated Schools in Ugra – in Khanty-Mansiysk, Surgut and Raduzhny. The UNESCO ASPNet activities bring together school students from Ugra, Russia and all around the world. The UNESCO Chair established at the Ugra State University in 2008 conducts indepth research in the field of global climate change.
Since 2003, Ugra has participated in the Save and Preserve international ecological action, with more than 490 thousand people involved in over 7 thousand environmental activities.
In September 2015, Ugra is to host the Forum of the World Bank’s Global Gas Flaring Reduction Partnership.
Exhibition “The Many Faces of Ugra” opens on 28 October at 6.30 pm.
Gala concert starts at 7.30 pm.
Exhibition “Legend of Ugra”: 27-31 October 9.30 am-5.30 pm.
For information regarding invitations please contact dl.russie@unesco-delegations.org in advance.
Information of the Permanent Delegation of the Russian Federation to UNESCO
