Mintimer Shaimiev: "Dancing is the shortest way to understanding between the nations of the world"

June 2 saw the closing ceremony of the 4th International Children's National Dance Festival “Behetle balachaq/Schastlivoye detstvo” (Happy childhood) taking place in Kazan State University's convention centre "UNICS".

"Nations of the world should befriend each other, and dancing is the shortest way leading to understanding between their people," said the RT President addressing the participants.

This festival traditionally held in Kazan this year gathered participants from 6 countries. Even if they didn’t understand each others tongues, they were joined together by the language of dance. Mintimer Shaimiev underlined that people of the world can communicate through dance and arts in general overcoming all cultural barriers. He stated that dancing, which contains traditions, the past and present of each nation, is one of the international languages.

“Happy childhood” international national dance festival has been conducted in Tatarstan since 1999. It was initiatiated by a local dance center bearing the same name. The first festival had participants from the neighboring republics of Bashkortstan and Mari-El, children's dance companies from Moscow and from Georgia. The geography of the second festival, conducted in 2002, grew even larger. Then citizens of Kazan and the republic were able to meet young dancers from Kazakhstan, Lathvia & Poland. It was also the first time when festival participants toured performing in other cities and districts of the republic. In 2004, Kazan hosted the folk dance festival for the third time, with participation of dancing youth from Czech Republic, Belarus, Ukraine, Latvia and from the Russian city of Volgograd. This festival brought together over 200 talented boys and girls from the Russian Federation, Bulgaria, Serbia, Turkey, Hungary and Ukraine.

The head of the republic stressed that the festival taking place in the year whose theme in Russia and Tatarstan is “Family”, and June 1st being the International day for protection of children, has particular symbolism. “WWII led to the loss of millions of mothers, fathers & children. Such catastrophes should not be allowed to repeat. Our ladies were the first ones to address this problem. In 1949, the International Federation of Women adopted June 1st as the Day for protection of children. Our dancing and laughing on this day is an achievement of our ladies, to whom we are all thankful,” - said the President.

In his address, the head of Tatarstan noted existence of many large talented dance companies in the republic, spoke about the prospects for further growth of “Yoldyzlyq/Sozvezdiye” (Constellation) festival, a platform for discovering talented youth. In his words there is no doubt that “Constellation” that is currently transforming from a festival into an all-republic movement, will grow even further. Mintimer Shaimiev expressed thanks to the participating dancing companies, their artistic directors and the heads of respective states. Participants of this year’s festival witnessed an important historic moment in the life of Tatarstan and Russia in general. During the days of the festival, Kazan won the right to hold the Universiade 2013.

The President requested the list of names of all children and artistic directors participating in this festival on such an important day for people of Kazan and the republic. Each one of them will receive a personal invitation of the President to attend the  Universiade 2013.