Young Karelia

The organization was created on December 17, 1993 (registered on February 9, 1994 ) by a group of creative youth of Petrozavodsk headed by Nadezhda Kalmykova (Kuznetsova) - students of the Baltic-Finnish Philology and Culture Faculty of Petrozavodsk State University ^[2] . The main statutory goal of creating “Young Karelia” was to preserve the culture and languages ​​of the indigenous Baltic-Finnish peoples of Karelia : Karelians , Vepsians and Finns ^[3] .

In the year of its foundation, Nuori Karjala became an associative member of the Youth Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples (MAFUN). Thanks to membership in this international organization, Young Karelia exchanges experience with colleagues from other Finno-Ugric regions and influences the formation of youth policy in the Finno-Ugric world. Members of the organization took part in the work of all the World Congresses of Finno-Ugric Peoples .

Members of the organization are mainly young people - residents of Petrozavodsk and the regions of Karelia, representatives of Karelian communities: students, graduates of Karelian universities, working youth, as well as all those who are interested in the culture of the Baltic-Finnish peoples of Karelia. The activists of the organization work in national mass media , cultural centers, executive authorities, universities and scientific institutions, are engaged in private entrepreneurship, and participate in public life of the Republic of Karelia.

Assignment of the status of a “foreign agent”

In 2012, the State Duma adopted amendments to the law "On Non-Profit Organizations", the concept of a foreign agent was introduced. It was assumed that such a status would be assigned to non-profit organizations that conduct political activities and at the same time receive foreign funding.

In May 2015, the Karelian Department of the Ministry of Justice conducted an unscheduled documentary audit of the activities of Nuori Karjala. And in June 2015, the RF Ministry of Justice forcibly included the organization in the register of foreign agents ^[4] . Organizations in the register are required to submit reports to the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation every three months. One of the provisions is to indicate passport details and registration addresses of all members. Due to this norm, the number of members of Nuori Karjala has decreased from 300 to 10. ^[5] In addition, when publishing materials on the Internet and the media, the status of a “foreign agent” is required. For evading this requirement faces a fine.

However, Nuori Karjala did not agree with the decision of the Ministry of Justice, saying that the organization does not conduct any political activity and does not receive money from abroad. A lawsuit was filed in the city court of Petrozavodsk against the Ministry of Justice of Russia and the Karelian administration of the Ministry of Justice. During the trial, it turned out that an unscheduled check was carried out at the request of the anonymous author . ^[6]

On August 27, 2015, Nuori Karjala decided to terminate the activities of the youth organization. The decision was due to the fact that "Young Karelia" "can no longer put up with the need to wear a brand that is completely inconsistent with its activities."

In September 2015, the Petrozavodsk City Court confirmed the legitimacy of including the organization in the register of public associations that perform the functions of a “foreign agent”. In connection with the decision, the Council of the organization began the liquidation of RMOO “Nouori Karjala”. ^[7]

A New History of a New Organization

On December 20, 2015, the first meeting of the board of the new organization Nuori Karjala took place. The meeting elected a new chairman and secretary. The charter of the new organization was adopted. The name of the new organization now sounds like “Nuori Karjala” (“Young Karelia”) Indigenous Peoples and Public Diplomacy Support Center, abbreviated as: “Nuori Karjala” Center.

On January 21, 2016 the new organization Nuori Karjala was registered by the Department of the Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Karelia.

Board members of Nuori Karjala:

• Tsykarev Alexey Vasilievich - Chairman
• Antonova Natalya Nikolaevna - Secretary
• Kibroeva Natalya Alexandrovna

“Nuori Karjala” is the initiator of cultural and educational and creative events in Petrozavodsk and regions of the Republic of Karelia: ethno-folk marathons, festive and musical evenings, contests, sports, ethnocultural summer camps. Ethnocultural and ethno-educational projects are among the priorities of the organization ^[8] .

Regional projects

• Council of representatives of Karelians, Vepsians and Finns of the Republic of Karelia under the Head of the Republic of Karelia
• Council of Commissioners of the Congress of Karelians of the Republic of Karelia
• Advisory Council on issues of interaction with national public associations and national-cultural autonomies under the Ministry of the Republic of Karelia on issues of national policy and relations with religious associations
• Youth Coordination Council under the Ministry of the Republic of Karelia on National Policy and Relations with Religious Associations
• Youth Puppet Theater Čičiliušku
• Printed Baltic-Finnish word in the native language
• Youth pop group " Anna tulla "
• Development of professional publishing of indigenous Finno-Ugric peoples
• Evenings of Karelian culture “Ropivo”, “FU”, “Lembi” with the participation of national musical groups “ Sattuma ”, “ D'airot ”, “ Santtu Karhu & Talvisovat ”, “ Anna tulla ”, “Karjala”.
• Publishing The organization has released musical and cultural discs “Onnen tähti” (“Star of Happiness”), “Živatad vepsläižiden elos” (“Animals in the Life of Veps”) and a calendar in Karelian.
• Karelian and Vepsian language courses online
• The release of a new rap album in Karelian language "Carelication"
• Competition for the best literary work
• Karelian language courses in St. Petersburg

International Projects

• The International Advisory Committee of the Finno-Ugric Peoples (KKFUN)
• Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples (AFUN)
• Youth Association of Finno-Ugric Peoples (MAFUN)

Organization Board Chairmen

• Nadezhda Kalmykova (Kuznetsova)
• Maxim Turenkov
• Olga Ogneva
• Tatyana Timofeeva
• Ekaterina Maksimova
• Natalya Antonova (2006—2011)
• Alina Chuburova (2011—2015)
• Tsykarev Alexey - from January 2015

• Union of the Karelian people
• Karelian Congress

• Official site
• Youth portal of Karelia. "Nuori Karjala"
• Finno-Ugric Purism (inaccessible link)