Cultural Olympiad

Sochi continues with the Cultural Olympiad this weekend.  Performers from all over Russia are in Sochi, with concerts at Administration Square on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The point of the Cultural Olympiad is to show Russia at its best, promote Russia's cultural heritage and to work towards preservation of the legacy of more than 100 indigenous groups in Russia.  

Sochi is the center of a great deal of cultural activity in the period leading up to the Winter Olympics. Celebration of the Cultural Olympiad began in Russia in 2010.  That year, film was the focus, this year is the Year of the Theatre, next year will be the Year of Music and in 2013, the Year of Museums. There are thousands of events taking place that Russians can take part in.  As I sit in Sochi, I see a large number of handicapped children who have been brought here to enjoy and take part in the performances.  Russia and Sochi 2014 are making an extraordinary effort at inclusion, so that as many as possible of Russia's citizens can participate, learn and enjoy about their cultural patrimony.