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"Russian-Finnish Art Caravan" will pass through nine towns and settlements of Karelia and territory the province of Oulu (Finland) from June, 1 to June, 10. The idea of this cultural marathon belongs to the Head of the Republic Sergey Katanandov and governor of the Finnish province of Oulu Eino Siuruainen. It has occured by the end of the previous project of this kind "Train of Culture", when in 2003 before celebrating the 300 anniversary of Petrozavodsk actors, musicians, artists, art workers from Karelia, Archangelsk area and Northern Finland passed through cities of Karelia and Finland by train going fromPetrozavodsk to Oulu. The project was of great success, and citizens of areas where it passed asked to repeat this successful project.

The number of Karelian participants of the new project will grow considerably, as now the caravan will start out on highways, - Minister of Culture and Public Relations of the RK Galina Brun has told at the operational conference in the Government of Karelia. In the list of the project participants there will be added Segezha, Medvezhiegorsk and Essoila.

Engaged in the project preparation in the Government of Karelia there is a special organizational committee headed personally by the Head of the Republic. The project is organized by the Ministry of Culture and Public Relations of the RK and Art Commission of the province of Oulu have already prepared the caravan route and stated the list of participants. This year the project will be directed, first of all, on strengthening of cooperation of adjacent territories of Karelia and Finland, development of intercultural exchange and propagation of healthy way of life by means of art.

Among the "Caravan - 2007" participants there are creative tams of Karelia: students of National theatre studio, Impromptu quartet, Finnish puppet theatre and children's theatre, participation of popular Karelian group "Skylark" in the "Caravan " is being negotiated. On the way of the caravan local folk groups will join the actors and take part in concerts together with them. In all stations en route in Finland (Oulu, Kalajoki, Haapavesi, Utajдrvi, Pudasjдrvi, Taivalkoski, Kuusamo, Suomussalmi) and Karelia (Kostomuksha, Ledmozero, Nadvoitsy, Segezha, Medvezhiegorsk, Kondopoga, Petrozavodsk, Essoila) there will be held meetings and consultations of experts of public health services, social protection, youth policy, sports and culture of Finland and Republic of Karelia with representatives of local self-government. During the meetings aspects of steady development of areas and promotion of values of socially stable society will be discussed. There will be organized master-classes and educating on formation of healthy way of life. Among the key subjects there are struggle against AIDS, preventive maintenance of drug consumption and negative phenomena in the youth environment. In Nadvoitsy and Essoila there will pass sports competitions, as well as a dance party with DJs from Karelia and Finland in Kostomuksha, and a concert meeting devoted to the Day of of the Settlement in Ledmozero.

Even today, Galina Brun has noted, heads of local self-government responded to the offer of the Head of Karelia and take part in preparation of route for the "Art Caravan". Special commission of representatives of Karelia and Finland has already visited all of its stations and is getting ready to welcome guests.

"Art Caravan" starts on June, 1 in the Finnish city Oulu, on June, 5 it will cross the Russian-Finnish border near Kostomuksha, and on June, 8, on the Day of the Republic of Karelia will arrive to Petrozavodsk, where the "Caravan" participants will take part in the celebration. The cultural marathon will finish on June, 9 in the settlement of Essoila.

Andrey Raev
http://www.gov.karelia.ru