Three years have passed since National Unity Day was introduced in Russia, as an alternative to Soviet-era ‘Great October Socialist Revolution Day’ (November 7th)
November 4th has yet failed to become the country’s most important public holiday, as most people still don’t understand why the traditional ‘November day-off’ was moved to three days earlier. According to a recent poll, only one fourth Russians remember the new holiday’s name correctly. 48 percent have no idea of why it is celebrated.
The only force that tried to give the new holiday with an ideological meaning where various nationalist and ultra-Orthodox Christian groups. For two years the radical ‘Russian March’ has been the day’s central event – the organizers would argue with Moscow authorities, who would ban and then allow the rally, generally closing their eyes to what was happening and thinking that no pogroms or ethnic clashes will happen in the city given there’s enough police personnel. This year, there is little hype about the nationalist rally, as Russian March organizers were easily given a permission to hold it on one of Moscow’s embankments.
Edinaya Rossiya (United Russia) party will follow its own tradition of celebrating National Unity – gifts to orphans, donating blood, organizing concerts in parks. The party’s main event will take place near Red Square, featuring Moscow’s mayor Yuri Luzhkov (a party member) and performers singing patriotic and Soviet songs.
Nashi youth movement is planning to saw a few 100 meter-long ‘peace blankets’ and give them to Russians as symbols of unity in an attempt to create some peculiar traditions for celebrating November 4th.
But still, the holiday has no meaning that the whole nation would embrace. Blankets and concerts, and even charity cannot fill it as long as there is no idea behind the holiday. And as officials a silent and never even try to explain what exactly is celebrated, November 4th may soon be again ‘privatized’ by various extremist forces.
Vera Kholmogorova
Photo: ITAR-TASS
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