The Kremlin likely behind Russia’s Finno-Ugric withdrawal statement
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Oliver Loode, an Estonian human rights advocate of the indigenous Uralic peoples, says in an interview with Estonian World that the statement of the Association of the Finno-Ugric Peoples of the Russian Federation that called to boycott the next World Congress of Finno-Ugric Peoples in Tartu, Estonia, is probably Kremlin’s work, with instructions possibly coming straight from the president’s administration.
Oliver Loode, the managing director of the Otepää, Estonia-based URALIC Centre that promotes and protects the language and cultural rights of Finno-Ugric and Samoyedic peoples of Eurasia, knows the indigenous people of Russia well. He has worked with indigenous peoples since 2009, after attending a Finno-Ugric youth forum in Kudymkar in Perm Region, Russia, as a speaker. Loode also initiated the Finno-Ugric Capitals of Culture programme that under the leadership of URALIC Centre cont
Mulgimaa takes centre stage as Estonia embraces its Finno-Ugric family
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Abja-Paluoja, the capital of Estonia’s historic Mulgimaa region, has become the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2021; Adam Rang, who is currently writing a book about Estonian sauna culture and its origins among Finno-Ugric peoples, attended the ceremony and reports on why it matters.
It had all the grandeur, if not the scale, of a major diplomatic gathering. There were presidents and senior politicians, rows of flags, international guests, television cameras and translators providing live commentary for audiences tuning in from around the world.
The location was the quiet south Estonian town of Abja-Paluoja where, on Saturday, 13 February, around 100 people gathered in freezing temperatures proudly wearing their folk dress to witness the town receive the title of the Finno-Ugric Capital of Culture 2021.