Participants of the project “Kunachestvo” in Kabardino-Balkaria speak of its benefits

A new stage of the project “Kunachestvo” (“Friendship”) passed off in Kabardino-Balkaria from August, 1, till August, 5. The boys who took part in it and the organizers of this stage of inter-regional project consider that the project should be continued.

“Kunachestvo” means that a teen-ager of one ethnic group lives in a family representing another one. This stage of the project had an inter-regional status. Three young residents of KBR received their peers from Chechnya, North Osetia and Karachay-Cherkessia in their families. Four boys from Terek, Cherek and Prokhladny districts of KBR and the town on Nalchik were guests of their peers in Chechnya, Ingushetia and North Osetia.

Islam Unazhokov, participant of the project from the settlement of Kenzhe, aged 13, received a sixteen-year-old Zaur Tegaev from RNO – Alania. He said that he and Zaur became friends in spite of a three-years difference in age, they have many interests in common. “Zaur goes in for Thai boxing and I go in for tae kwon do and dance. He is not merely my friend now, he is my brother”, Islam Unazhokov said.

Vanya Dalov from Prokhladny district of KBR was a guest of the family of Akhsharbek Khabaev aged 13 in the settlement of Khumallag, North Osetia – Alania. The family has ten children. Vanya visited school No 1 of Beslan and laid flowers at the memorial “Town of Angels”. He also said that from the moment on he considered Akhsharbek his brother and intended to continue friendship with him.

The project “Kunachestvo” was launched in 2009. Four stages of the project passed off and 64 teenagers all in all took part in it. During the project boys of different nationalities familiarized themselves with the culture and everyday life of the neighbouring ethnic groups while staying in their peers’ families for several days. The authors of the project think that contacts of this kind promote strengthening friendship between peoples and overcoming mutual alienation.