Residents of South of Russia mark National Unity Day

Yesterday, on November 4, the regions of the SFD and NCFD (Southern and North-Caucasian Federal Districts), as well as throughout Russia, held various celebrations dated to the National Unity Day.

In Adygea, the holiday proved to be politicized. Activists of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation (CPRF) refused to celebrate it, stating that "it erases the motherland's history pages." At the same time, supporters of other political forces had stated beforehand their intent "to properly celebrate the relatively new holiday." As a result, a rally, organized by the "Edinaya Rossiya" (United Russia) Party was held in the central square of Maikop, the capital of Adygea. This party, as well as the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR) and trade unions, were the main organizers of mass celebrations in the republic.

In Volgograd, the National Unity Day was accompanied by a festival of national cultures, aimed to revive and develop national cultures and traditions of the nations of the Volga River regions and Southern Russia. The festival was organized as a multi-genre event with trade fairs and exhibitions of arts and crafts masters, the IA "Height 102" writes.

In the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala, the National Unity Day was met by an athletic relay race with participation of city university teams. Besides, a rally of student youth on the occasion of the holiday was held in Lenin Square, the RIA "Dagestan" reports.

In Kabardino-Balkaria, the National Unity Day fell on celebration of the end of harvest. On that day, simulated farmsteads appeared in the city, where visitors were treated with meals of Kabardian, Balkar, Cossack, Turkish, Korean and Ossetian cuisines and could watch the achievement of local agriculture, the "Mir" International Television and Radio Company reports.

More than three thousand residents and guests of Elista, the capital of Kalmykia, took part in the rally dedicated to the National Unity Day and held in Victory Square, the "Kalmykia online" portal reports. After the rally, the celebration programme was continued by a gala concert, staged by best republic's companies; mass celebrations continued through the evening.

In Karachay-Cherkessia, republic's horse races at the state hippodrome were dated to the National Unity Day. They were attended by equestrian teams from Karachay-Cherkessia, Chechnya, Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories - more than 40 athletes, the GTRK "Stavropolye" reports.

In Krasnodar, on the National Unity Day, apart from official celebrations, concerts, mass festivities and fireworks, despite the ban of local authorities, nationalists organized a march along the main street of the city. The "Russian March" was attended by about 150 persons. During the action militia detained one of the marchers, who was soon released. Novorossisk held a mass run race, after which a whole range of sporting events and relays was held, the "Honey Festival", Exhibition of projects prepared by the "Edinaya Rossiya" Party and a festival of folk arts "United Russia is a stronghold", the "Yuga.ru" writes.

On November 4, Rostov-on-Don hosted an interethnic holiday "Peoples of the Don River are a happy family". The Regional House of Folk Arts welcomed members of national associations, resident in the Rostov Region. Every community prepared a small presentation, telling about folk traditions, and everyone could taste national cuisines for free, the "161.ru" wrote. The city of Volgodonsk, Rostov Region, held a festive march of unity. The action was attended by activists of political parties, trade unions, NGOs, religious organizations, ethnic Diasporas, Cossacks, youth and employees of the city enterprises.

In Vladikavkaz , the capital of North Ossetia, in Victory Square, a two-hour-long picket was organized by the North-Ossetian regional office of the Liberal-Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR). The action on the occasion of National Unity Day was attended by 90 persons. Apart from party activists, the picket was supported by internally displaced persons (IDPs) from inland Georgia, who now live in North Ossetia. The picketers voiced out the problems in accommodation of IDPs, corruption and environmental concerns.

In the Stavropol Territory, the National Unity Day began the day before, on November 3. On that day, the main square of the territorial capital hosted a holiday "By Roads of United Russia", followed by a motor rally along repaired city streets, the "Vek" (Age) edition writes.

A march in honour of the National Unity Day was held in Grozny, the capital of Chechnya, where on November 4 about 2000 persons marched from Kadyrov Square to Druzhby Square. The marchers carried Chechen and Russian flags and banners "Russia is our home", the ITAR-TASS reports. When in Druzhby Square, they sent into the air about 2000 balloons coloured as Russian banner and danced lezginka; in the evening the area was full of people.