OREANDA-NEWS. August 17, 2011. The Government of the republic has approved the concept of the long-term target program Preservation of the Unity of Peoples and Ethnoses of the Republic of Karelia in 2012-2016 (Karjala Is Our Home).

Karjala Is Our Home will continue programs of The State Support of Karelian, Veppsian, and Finnish Languages for 2006-2010 and Karelia – Territory of Harmony for 2007-2011 implemented before.

The main goal of the new program is arrangement of conditions for steady ethnocultural development of indigenous peoples of the republic and preservation of the civil harmony, as well as strengthening the interethnic and interconfessional harmony in Karelia.

The program prepared for the period of 2012-2016 includes activities in different spheres. Within its framework it is expected to take measures for support of socially significant activity of national public associations of Karelians, Veppsians, and Finns. There will be provided the state support of Karelian, Veppsian and Finnish languages for which it is planned to improve the system of teaching these languages, to support mass-media in national languages, as well as scientific research of experts whose activity is focused on preservation of Karelian, Veppsian, and Finnish languages.

Special attention in the program is paid to preservation and development of Russian culture of regions of Pudozh, Zaonezhie and the White Sea coast region of Karelia which is an integral part of culture of the Russian North.

Tasks concerning counteraction to ethnic and religious extremism, arrangement of conditions for full ethnocultural development of people living in Karelia and ethnic communities will be also implemented within the scope of the program.

The program will consist of two sub-programs – Harmonization of National and Confessional Relations in the Republic of Karelia and Ethnocultural Development of Indigenous Peoples of the Republic of Karelia.

Implemenation of the program by 2016 is expected to result in growth of the number of projects focused on preservation and development of ethnocultural traditions of Karelians, Veppsians, and Finns, printing of books on history, traditions and culture of Karelians, Veppsians, and Finns, as well as scientific, reference, fiction books, tutorials, in Karelian, Veppsian, and Finnish languages.

As a whole, it is forecasted that the number of citizens of Karelia that will participate in implemenation of activities of the program will grow.

Currently, the draft program is finalized and will be submitted for endorsement to executive authorities.