It was on the eve of the International day of indigenous nations of the world, which has taken place on August 9 every year since 1995, organised by the United Nations.

Representatives of more than 15 ethnic groups visited Moscow and Sochi, which is hosting the first Olympic Winter Games in Russian history in 2014, as part of the seventh All-Russian 'Alluring worlds. Ethnic Russia' festival.

The public were able to see chums - the traditional dwelling of northern nations - and listen to the performances of ethnic ensembles, while guests of the festival also had the chance to visit masterclasses on beads weaving, bone carving and traditional dolls making.

The project united the cultures of more than 40 minority nationalities of Russia including ones with 2,000 people like Kety, Nganasany, Saamy and Yukagiry; those with 1,000 people like Aleuty, Negidalty, Orochi, Tofalary, Chelkantsy and Chulmtsy; nationalities with 500 people such as Izhortsy, Tazy, Ulty and Entsy; and even one with a total of eight people across the world - Kereki.

This continued the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee's mission to welcome ethnic groups to participate in the Olympic project.

Last October, the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad showcased the Caucasian Games, which illustrated the traditions and cultural distinctiveness of nations living in the region of the next Olympic Winter Games.

More than 200 representatives of the Northern Caucasus republics participated in the event, including several ensembles from Karachaevo-Cherkesiya.

By the end of this year, theatre groups from Kabardino-Balkariya, Dagestan, Chechnia, Northern Osetia, Stavropol region and Karachaevo-Cherkesiya will have given 17 performances as part of the Sochi 2014 Cultural Olympiad's Year of Theatre.

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