Experts criticise Chechen project for studying folk traditions

In Urus-Martan, three winners of the regional stage of the youth project "Konakhchun Dakhar" were awarded cash prizes. The participants of the project have described the difficulties of living conditions of ancient settlements. The project contains signs of a show. This opinion was voiced by the experts on the Caucasus interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot".

On September 5, Urus-Martan hosted a ceremony to award the winners of the regional stage of the project, which took place during a month on the territory of the architectural and ethnographic museum "Serial tog1e". This was reported by Said Aidamirov, the leader of the organization "Konakhiin Toba".

According to him, the participants of the project, who were 16-25 years old, lived in the conditions of an ancient Chechen settlement without TV sets, Internet, and other means of modern communication.

Then, the activists will hold the republican stage of the project, which will be attended by one representative from each of the 17 districts of Chechnya.

According to Vadim Mukhanov, Senior Researcher of the Centre for Caucasus and Regional Security at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (known as MGIMO), the project contains signs of populism.

"I believe the main interest of the project is in promotion of Chechen history... The educational function is also available: it is in an appeal to own roots and fostering of respect for the Chechen history," said Vadim Mukhanov.

Meanwhile, according to Vadim Mukhanov, in matters of education of a new generation, the projects "of at least regional or all-national nature" would be more productive.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.