Greek schoolchildren learnt about traditions of indigenous peoples of Yamal

The international book fair was completed in Salonika, Greece. Russia became the honored guest of this event the largest one in the world of books. It happened in the honor of the Year of Russia in Greece.

The organizers prepared the rich program for Greek visitors: they met with writers and publishers, who were presenting book novelties, were acquainted to activity of large artistic Russian museums. They watched video-records of opera and ballet productions on works of Russian literature, visited the film festival of feature and documentary films. The Russian exposition also presented books telling about revival of spiritual traditions in Yamal. They included the collection of works by father Irinarkh – Ivan Shemanovskiy, the founder of Obdorsk mission, the photo-album “Temples of Yamal”, the book about the Greek metropolite Nektarios of Aegina. According to the information given to a correspondent of IA “Sever-Press” in the regional department of international and external economic relations, the book “Orthodox Yamal” aroused special attention. The book was published at support of the governor of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Dmitriy Kobylkin. It was presented by the author-compiler Pyotr Kazantsev. He told about history of forming of Orthodoxy in Yamal, about today’s life of the Salekhard eparchy. The visitors were acquainted to nature and culture of Yamal, watched the film “Yamal welcomes you” created by the regional TV and Radio company “Yamal-Region”. Pyotr Kazantsev conducted the meeting with compatriots residing in Greece. By the invitation of the center for Russian language and culture in Salonika, he met with its pupils. They are from Greek-Russian families and study Russian language, history and culture of Russia. The journalist from Yamal conducted a lesson for them. It was dedicated to experience of saving of ancient traditions of northern peoples in conditions of the civilization. The head of the center Zhanna Baykova notes that the meeting was interesting and useful for everyone, and she hopes that the pupils of the center will be able to visit Yamal and to get acquainted to its unique nature and culture. The presentation of the region and books by authors from Yamal for Russian compatriots in Salonika became possible owing to support from the department of international and external economic relations of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.