The 94th birthday of the Republic of Mordovia was celebrated and not celebrated either
In recent years, it has become increasingly noticeable that birthdays in the republics of the Russian Federation are inappropriate or inconvenient to celebrate.
The Autonomous Soviet Oblast of Mordovia (from 1936 an Autonomous Soviet Socialist republic and from 1994 the Republic of Mordovia), born in 1930 with great effort and pain, is a model in this sense. This time, no concerts, exhibitions or other cultural events were dedicated to the anniversary of the Republic. However, a festive gathering was held in the State House, during which speeches were made and the best citizens of the Republic were honoured. The Head of State of the Republic, Artyom Zdunov, did not attend the event, but sent his greetings to the people of the Republic. It is a sign of a new era.
Characteristic of the times, he stressed the importance of autonomy in the development of the republic’s economy and quoted Vladimir Putin as having once said that Mordovia forms an important part of multi-ethnic Russia and is a very beautiful republic. In his greeting, Artyom Zdunov also made a point of thanking Putin for the attention he had paid to the region, noting that the people of the republic are proud of their traditions and of their compatriots who defend Russia’s interests.
The Chairman of the State Council of the Republic Vladimir Chibirkin, on the other hand, considered it necessary to note that Mordovia has always been and is part of the powerful Russia. In particular, however, he stressed his gratitude to the President of Russia and the federal authorities for their comprehensive support to the Republic of Mordovia. He also noted that many of the republic’s inhabitants are taking part in a special military operation fighting for Russian sovereignty.
As 2024 has been declared the Year of the Family by the President of Russia, the most prestigious award of the Republic ‘Honour to a Parent’ was donated to the Baranov family, which currently has ten children and eight grandchildren. On the occasion of the Republic’s birthday, the National Treasure Award was presented to a number of leaders of the republic’s social organisations, including Yuri Mishanin, Chairman of the Interregional Mordovian (Erzya and Moksha) People’s Social Organisation. This was the first time that such an award had been granted in the republic. The participants of the ceremony were also welcomed by Pyotr Tultayev, Senator of the Russian Federation Council and Chairman of the Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples of Russia. In his welcoming speech, he said that since the formation of the autonomy of Mordovia, the ideology of friendship between different nationalities, on which the national unity of Russians is based, has been a guiding principle.
