Circassian public figures criticize Adyg Culture Festival

According to local authorities, this year's Sixth International Festival of Adyg (Circassian) Culture that is now underway in Adygea surpasses all the previous ones by the number of participants and diversity of its programme. However, it is in no way a substitute for the systemic work with the Circassian Diaspora, believe the experts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

The festival held on October 1-6, is an international event, where the Adygs living in different regions of Russia and abroad are invited, said Mukhammed Kulov, the Culture Minister of Adygea.

The festival is attended by creative teams and individual performers from Israel, Jordan, Turkey and USA. Also, a delegation of Syrian Circassians has arrived.

"The main objective of the festival is the development and preservation of our culture, and identification of new talents," said Kulov.

According to the minister, the central events of the festival will be a costumed march of participants across the city of Maikop, and a gala concert. Mr Kulov has stressed that the festival has become one of the key events of the Year of Culture held by Adygea this year.

On the other hand, as stated by Sulieta Kusova, the head of the Centre for Ethnical Problems in Mass Media under the Union of Journalists of the Russian Federations, the festival is substituting the real work that should be done by the authorities.