Peoples' Friendship Festival Opens In Tomsk

On the eve of May 1 the traditional festival of the Tomsk region peoples' friendship opened in Tomsk (Siberia). The interregional scientific practical conference "Development of international relations and of national cultural movement in Siberia: experience and prospects" started the festival's program. Sections called "History and archaeology, ethnography and ethnosociology", "National education and ethnolinguistics", "Preserving and development of culture traditions of national communities", "Development of international relations" and others will be open for two days. The Peoples' Friendship Day will take place on May 1. A fair of national cuisine will start it. Tomsk representatives of the leading confessions: an Orthodox archbishop, a Moslem imam and a Jew rabbi have been invited to the occasion. The festival will be closed by a gala-concert of national centers on the stage of the regional theater. Earlier the Russian President noted the Tomsk tradition during his official trip to Tomsk and wished the same festival to all regions. "It would be a day of reconciliation and unity of people of different nationalities and confessions", said Vladimir Putin then.