On 24 January the All-Russian Festival of nature “Primeval Russia” which opened a series of activities for the Year of Culture in Russia started at the Moscow Central House of Artists. The Federation Council and the Russian Geographical Society with the participation of the Russian Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Natural Resources of the Russian Federation and the Government of Moscow have become the organizers of the festival.

The opening ceremony was attended by the Chairman of the Federation Council V.Matvienko, head of the Defense Ministry, President of the RGS S.Shoigu, head of the Ministry of Natural Resources S.Donskoy, vice-president of the RGS, a member of the Federation Council, the FPLB President A.Tchilingarov, a member of the Federation Council, member of the Scientific Board of the FPLB, RAS Corresponding Member, A.Tulokhonov, First vice-president of the RGS, the dean of the MSU Faculty of Geography, Academician N.Kasimov, director of the Institute of Geography RAS, Academician V.Kotlyakov and other officials.

“The objective of the festival is to increase public interest in the environment, nature photography and documentary films. Visitors will be able to appreciate the beauty of Russian Arctic landscapes of the North Pole, the protected Russia and other regions”, - said V.Matvienko.

The exhibition features over 200 unique works of photographers, naturalists, sent from the Russian regions. The festival opened exhibition “Arctic”, “Protected Russia”, “Russian aerial view”, “Olympic nature”, an exhibition of photographers from the UK and National Geographic.

Stand of the Fund for Protection of Lake Baikal represents the exposition devoted to the International Swiss-Russian Scientific Expedition “Trans-Eurasian flight: Leman Baikal”, and also it demonstrates the culture and traditions of the peoples from the Baikal region: the authentic costume of old Believers “Semeiskie” and ancient Buryat musical instruments morin khuur and sukha khuur.

The All-Russian Festival of nature “Primeval Russia” will take place from 24 January to 23 February 2014. Day of Baikal, which is organized on the initiative of the FPLB with the support of the Representative Office of Republic of Buryatia in Moscow, will take place on 25 January within the framework of the Festival.