Parliamentary Assembly Assemblée parlementaire For debate in the Standing Committee — see Rule 15 of the Rules of Procedure Doc. 10869 7 April 2006 Cultural diversity of the North Caucasus Report Committee on Culture, Science and Education Rapporteur : Mrs Anne Brasseur, Luxembourg, Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Summary The North Caucasus, is a unique region of the Russian Federation where, in a limited area, a great number of people and ethnic groups cohabit with their different languages, religions and cultures. This cultural diversity can be a source of conflict, but it can also contribute to regional stability if emphasis is placed on intercultural and inter-religious dialogue, on respect for national identities and on the promotion of cultures and languages. It is recommended that the Committee of Ministers and the Government of the Russian Federation develop, in close co-operation, a medium and long term strategy for cultural and educational policies for the North Caucasus that take account of the multi-ethnic and multi-faith characteristics of the region, in the framework of respect for human rights, while also drawing on experiences elsewhere in Europe. F – 67075 Strasbourg Cedex, tel: +33 3 88 41 20 00, fax: +33 3 88 41 27 76, http://assembly.coe.int, e-mail:
[email protected] Doc. 10869 A. Draft recommendation 1. In the Russian Federation, the North Caucasus is a geographical, cultural, historical and linguistic area in which over forty peoples with different cultures and religions have settled and co- exist. Their religions include Islam (Sunni, Shiite), Christianity (Orthodox, Monophysitic), Judaism and Buddhism, and they speak a multitude of languages of various origins.