An incredibly successful family celebration dedicated to the Day of National Unity, which has been celebrated in Russia since 2005, took place at the Russian House. This event, entirely prepared by the efforts of our compatriots, became a vibrant symbol of the solidarity and richness of multinational Russian culture.

The event’s script, inspired by the historical events of 1612, when the People’s Militia united to defend the Motherland regardless of nationality or faith, turned into a grand two-hour journey across the regions of Russia. More than 30 children of various ages, as well as their parents and educators, took part in the performance, making the celebration truly family-oriented and heartwarming.

The energy was set from the very first number. The audience journeyed to the South of Russia, a land of sun, vineyards, and hospitable people — from the shores of the Black Sea to the foothills of the Caucasus, and then enthusiastically applauded a fiery Cossack Lezginka, celebrating the strength and spirit of the Cossacks.

Continuing the theme of unity, the hosts spoke about how the destinies of the peoples of the North Caucasus are closely intertwined with the history of the Fatherland, recalling the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 and the brotherhood in arms of Russian soldiers and Bulgarian volunteers at Shipka. This thread led the audience to the history of “Great Bulgaria” of Khan Kubrat and his sons, whose descendants gave rise to the peoples of the North Caucasus and Volga Bulgaria, which became the cradle of modern Tatarstan.

The journey continued in Kazan — a place where East and West meet. Guests joyfully welcomed the fairy tale “The Golden Apple” about the brave boy Ildar, his clever sister Aliya, and the cunning forest spirit Shurale.

From the mountains and steppes, the audience was transported to the very heart of the country — the Volga Region (Povolzhye), along the great Russian river, the Volga-Mother. The performers spoke about how the Volga is the longest river in Europe, a major transport artery, and a symbol celebrated in literature.

The interesting fact that the Kama surpasses the Volga in length and volume of water, but the latter became the symbol due to cultural and historical reasons, sparked a lively reaction in the hall. The audience learned that “parma” means “taiga” in the Komi-Permyak language.

And our host performed a song about a horse. The hall listened with bated breath.

The first act concluded with a song about the river. Meanwhile, a video sequence of Russia’s minor rivers played on the screen behind the artists.

The second act transported us to the solemn embankments of St. Petersburg with Pushkin’s ode “I love you, Peter’s creation…”.

From St. Petersburg’s white nights, the audience moved to ancient Tula — the arms capital and a symbol of Russian tea drinking; they recalled Chukovsky’s verses and guessed riddles about the samovar.

The program harmoniously alternated the pensive lyricism of Yesenin and Tsvetaeva with Shchedrin’s bell ringing.

The climax was general merriment: the audience performed a Khorovod (traditional circle dance), recalling ancient rites. The grand finale featured a lively “Barynya” performed by a children’s spoon ensemble.

In conclusion, the audience recalled Russian folk tales. Our artists role-played “Ryaba the Hen” and performed “Kalinka” on folk instruments. Then everyone was invited on stage for a bow, where the young artists received sweet prizes for their participation.

Despite the duration (over two hours with a short break for the buffet), not a single spectator left the hall early. After the event, compatriots continued socializing, treating each other to traditional dishes: pirozhki (small pies) and shangi (open-faced pies), plov (pilaf), and fruits.

We express our immense gratitude to our compatriots who prepared the delicious food. You can see them in the photo.

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