Peoples of Russia International Week opens in the North Caucasus

The history, culture, and contemporary development of the Adyghe were discussed in Nalchik at an academic and public education event entitled “The Adyghe: The Phenomenon of Caucasian Honour and the Memory of a Global Diaspora”. This was the first event held in the Caucasus as part of the Peoples of Russia International Week, taking place during the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia. Participants and guests included university students studying the humanities, tourism, and hospitality, as well as teachers and staff from educational centres.

The Peoples of Russia International Week is held annually pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 382 of 1 June 2026, which declared 2026 the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia. Its key theme is “Solidarity Between States Through the Unity of Peoples and Traditional Values”. Events during the Week are coordinated by staff of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, with the Roscongress Foundation acting as operator.

At the opening, Kasbolat Dzamikhov, Doctor of Historical Sciences and Director of the Institute for Humanities Research, a branch of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences, spoke about the significance of the major academic series “Peoples and Cultures”, noting how fitting it was that “The Adyghe” should be published in the institute’s centenary year. “Of the monograph’s 35 authors, 14 are from the Institute,” he said.

The book was published by Nauka, Russia’s foremost academic publishing house. All the data it contains is based on peer-reviewed scholarly literature, and its sources are encyclopaedic in nature.

“We can see a legal framework taking shape: laws on state policy are being adopted, along with the Presidential decree on state policy for spiritual and moral values and historical education, the law on intangible cultural heritage, national development strategies, and so on. In these circumstances, demand for knowledge in the humanities will only grow, and works such as “Peoples and Cultures” create a solid foundation for addressing the challenges of our time,” noted Alexey Abazov, Doctor of Historical Sciences and executive editor of the volume “The Adyghe”.

The monograph covers a broad range of subjects, from history, economic life, and social norms to language, literature, folklore, music, and dance. It also devotes a separate section to the Adyghe diaspora, making it possible to view Adyghe culture in both a global and a regional context.

One of the key themes of the meeting was the future of research into traditional culture, the ways in which it is changing, and the growing demand for knowledge in the humanities as a means of preserving intangible heritage.

Dmitry Prasolov, PhD in History, spoke about the development of ethnographic research. The monograph’s authors also presented individual strands of their work, covering Adyghe literature and folklore, linguistic heritage, and musical and dance culture.

Participants noted that engaging with the history and culture of Russia’s peoples helps preserve historical memory, sustain cultural diversity, and strengthen interethnic dialogue.

“As part of the Peoples of Russia International Week, Nauka will present its publications in regions across the country. The focus is on works in the major “Peoples and Cultures” series. The project continues a centuries-old tradition of Russian academic publishing that stretches back almost 300 years,” noted Mikhail Fomin, Head of Nauka Publishing House.