Russia Day. The most interesting events you need to go to on Russia Day Venues June 12

On June 12, 2017, the country will traditionally celebrate Russia Day. In honor of this holiday, Moscow has prepared a wide entertainment program.

From June 10 to 12, 2017, Muscovites and guests of the capital will be able to watch Russian films for free in 12 capital cinemas, listen to lectures by historians in the fresh air, attend various master classes and enjoy performances by Russian pop stars. Sports events will also take place on these days.

Each park in Moscow has prepared its own program for the holiday. A literary festival will be held in Sokolniki, and on June 12, concerts and DJ sets will be held on Fontannaya Square in the park, followed by the start of the street music festival “Ours in the City.”

In the Bauman Garden on Russia Day there will be a festival of new drama "Theater. New Forms". Visitors to the Hermitage Garden will attend a tea party with a giant two-meter brass samovar. Lectures on Russian state symbols will be given in Krasnaya Presnya Park. There will also be master classes on aircraft modeling and kite design. Stilt walkers will perform during the day in the Lilac Garden, lectures will be held by a master -classes on creating a flag, and an open-air disco will be held in the park of the 850th anniversary of Moscow.

In the Muzeon Arts Park in the evening from 21.00 to 22.00 there will be a concert of the young composer Ilya Beshevli, accompanied by the Imperialis chamber orchestra. A concert of creative groups and performers of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Central Concert Orchestra of the Russian Police will take place in Victory Park. Stas Piekha, the group "Reflex", 5"sta Family and Ruslan Alekhno will also perform there. In honor of the holiday, a guard of honor will be held at the Eternal Flame.

On the big screen you will be able to watch films by Alexander Sokurov, Alexey German Jr., Alexey Popogrebsky, and Nikolai Eck. The Zvezda cinema will host a screening of the film "Faust" directed by Alexander Sokurov. The Fakel cinema will show films by Alexey German Jr. The free film program also includes films made during the Soviet era, which took part in various film festivals.

On holidays, Muscovites and city guests will be able to listen to the series of performances “Military Bands in the Parks” under the auspices of the Spasskaya Tower festival.

Over the long weekend, the Kremlin Riding School will present an updated program “Equestrian Traditions of Russia” and will hold a parade performance and horse riding master classes.

The VDNKh exhibition complex has also prepared its own program. The Soyuzmultfilm film studio will celebrate its birthday these days. In the historical park at VDNKh, several sites dedicated to Russia “yesterday and today” will operate for three days, and there will be a free zone in the park with fully immersive video content. The park will also teach you how to dance Zumba, Latin American dancing, belly dancing and break dancing.

A festive race will be held at Luzhniki on June 11. The sports festival will end with a massive flash mob.

On June 12, 2017, the whole country celebrates an important national official holiday -. Events for Russia Day in 2017 will be held in all cities of the country. You will be able to attend the opening of museums, take part in summing up the results of competitions in drawings, sculptures, plasticine figures, embroidery, sewing and other creative activities, you will also be able to take direct part in the Olympics, listen to festive concerts, and maybe even dance, buy a souvenir as a keepsake. one of the fairs in honor of the holiday, show off your strength in wrestling or sledgehammer throwing tournaments, and also entertain your children with a kite show or balloon launch. This applies to Russia Day on June 12, 2017, events that will be held depending on a particular city.

On Russia Day on June 12, 2017, events in Moscow will be as follows:

Holiday “My Country – Many Faces of Russia”




Such a holiday will take place in “Ethnomir”. By visiting this event, you will learn about the different peoples who inhabited and now live in our country. You will be able to hear Caucasian songs live, learn how Tuvans sing, learn how to pronounce toasts correctly, and you will also have a unique opportunity to participate in the tea ceremony of the Kalmyk people.

23rd International running competition “Kremlin Mile”




It is on Russia Day in Moscow that the 23rd International Kremlin Mile race will take place along Olympic Avenue. Runners and accompanying people will completely fill the entire avenue, among them there will be adults of different ages, including children. Such an event is not just a sporting event, it is a celebration of health and activity.





Also on this day, the Motherland Summer Festival will be held in Moscow. Such famous groups and musicians as SBPC (The Simplest Large Number), Alpha-Beta, Pompeya, Wild Islands, Onegin Please and Kira Lao, “Red Banner Division named after my grandmother” and Katya Pavlova will perform in Muzeon Park. You will also be able to visit fairs and master classes in the park, and you will be able to play board games and performances.





Sports events in strength sports will be held here, and you will also be able to see exciting performances by Russian bodybuilding champions. You will also be able to take part in an arm wrestling tournament and take sambo lessons.

Festival “EXTREMEX. Independence"




Motorcycle lovers will be interested in attending the freestyle motocross event, which will take place on Independence Day. Both foreign athletes and the Russian FMX13 team of Alexey Kolesnikov will participate in it. Here you can attend a hip-hop concert, headlined by the rap group Bad Balance and Co.

Holiday “Country of Talents”




In turn, “Babushkin Park” on Russia Day invites its visitors to take part in the family holiday “Land of Talents”. You will be able to take part in music, dance and art trainings, which may reveal hidden talents in you. A day spent in the park will give you a lot of strength and give you a huge amount of positive emotions.

Kuzminka Park




On Russia Day, Kuzminka Park will host a photography exhibition “Wide is my native country...”, which will be dedicated to rare representatives of the fauna of our country. It's good to go here if you have a small child. There will be tables for drawing and modeling for little ones, and for older children there will be a competition - draw a picture on the asphalt on the patriotic theme “Drawing the tricolor”.

Concert. "Red Square"




A gala concert in honor of the holiday will be held on the main square of the country. The following will perform here: Kristina Orbakaite, groups “Chaif” and “Degrees”, Valeria, Sklyar, Bianca, Sergey Trofimov, Ani Lorak, Denis Maidanov, Umaturman, T9, A-studio, “City 312”, Elka, “Bi-2” ", Garik Sukachev, "Disco Crash", Dmitry Koldun, "Beasts", "Moral Code", "Chicherina" and many other famous artists.

Fili Park




Here you can encounter thematic platforms that are dedicated to the culture and traditions of the peoples of Russia. You will be able to see visual master classes on crafts, you will be able to participate in a flash mob, as well as in the most original idea of ​​​​the holiday - “The Big Dance”.

Tournament "Tennis Legends 2017"




Such a tournament takes place only once a year, on June 12 on Russia Day. Tennis athletes who have already completed their professional activities take part in the tournament. You will be able to cheer for Anastasia Myskina, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Vera Zvonareva. While the opponent will be: Mansur Barami, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis, Goran Ivanisevic.

These and many more events will be held in Moscow, as for Russia Day on June 12, 2017, events in St. Petersburg will also be held in different parts of the city. Everyone will be able to choose what they want to see and the place where they want to visit. You shouldn’t sit at home, even if it rains, such a holiday only happens once a year! So be poisoned by it without thinking!

The editors of KudaMoscow present a selection of interesting events for the weekend of June 10, 11 and 12:

1. Festival “Multinational Russia”

On June 12, the “Multinational Russia” festival will take place on Pushkin Square. Popular artists and national musical groups will perform for Muscovites and guests of the capital, and creative workshops will also operate.

2. SamovarFest

On June 11 and 12, a new family festival, SamovarFest, will be held in the Hermitage Garden. A huge brass samovar “Tsar Moscow”, 2 meters high, will be installed in the central square of the Hermitage Garden, which will become a symbol of Russian hospitality - the main idea of ​​the festival.

3. Music festival "Russia"

On June 12, the open-air music festival “Russia” will be held at the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve.

4. Festival “Times and Epochs”

From June 1 to June 12, Moscow will host the grandiose historical festival “Times and Epochs,” which will bring 10 thousand reenactors and participants from all over the world to the capital.

5. Free film screenings for Russia Day

On June 11 and 12, the Moskino cinema chain will host free screenings of the best Russian films of the 20th century - winners of the main European festivals. On the big screen are films that conquered Cannes, Berlin and Venice.

6. Fine Arts Festival “Traditions and Modernity”

From June 7 to 11, the International Festival of Fine Arts “Traditions and Modernity” will be held at the Central Manege.

7. Festival “Dogs in the City”

On June 10, the first city festival for dogs and their owners, “Dogs in the City,” dedicated to the life and responsible keeping of dogs in the metropolis, will take place in Krasnaya Presnya Park.

8. Colorful race at Luzhniki

On June 11, the next stage of the Moscow Marathon series of races will take place on the territory of the Luzhniki sports complex. Participants will run 5km through four colorful zones where they will be showered with bright colours.

9. Exhibition “Brand Realism Retrospective”

The Moscow Museum of Modern Art on Tverskoy Boulevard will host a personal exhibition of musician Sergei Shnurov “Brandrealism Retrospective”, which will be a continuation of the high-profile project held in St. Petersburg at the Erarta Museum.

10. Summer play library in Victory Park

On June 10, in Victory Park on Poklonnaya Gora, a summer play library will open for everyone, which will be open by entrance from 13:00 to 21:00 near the children's playground on the Entrance Square side.

Moscow celebrates Russia Day 2017: On Sunday, June 12, in honor of Russia Day, more than 150 different festive events will be held in the capital. The main event will be a concert on Red Square with the participation of popular artists and fireworks.

During the celebration of Russia Day, capital residents will enjoy a wide cultural and sports program. There will be many options for where to go and how to spend the day profitably. Holiday Events will take place throughout the capital. And since this Russia Day is an official day off, citizens will have a great opportunity to visit interesting places in Moscow to participate and watch the festive program.

Russia Day 2017. Program of events

Festive events will take place at VDNKh, Gorky Park and Poklonnaya Hill. Fairs and festivals will be held in Moscow on June 12. Various sporting events are planned in the parks. Children will enjoy watching kite shows and balloon launches.

Free film screenings will be held in 10 parks in the capital on June 12. In the Hermitage Garden, Krasnaya Presnya Park, Izmailovsky Park and Kuzminki Park you can watch the film “After You” (2016) with the participation of Sergei Bezrukov. Visitors to Tagansky Park will be treated to the 2015 comedy about love “Without Borders.” Lianozovsky, Vorontsovsky and Perovsky parks will show “Girls”, “Courier” and “Wedding in Malinovka”.

And a giant samovar will be brought to the Hermitage garden for Russia Day. The festival of Russian feasting and hospitality “Samovarfest” will be held there. It is planned to create a giant tricolor in Taganka Park. Concerts and DJ sets are planned for May 12 on Fontannaya Square.

Russia Day 2017 in Moscow: Full program of celebration

Among the biggest events are the gala concert of the “Shield and Lyre” festival in Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill, which will take place from 18.00 to 22.00, the “Russia” music festival in the Kolomenskoye Museum-Reserve from 12.00 to 20.00, a cultural and entertainment scheme with the exhibition of the National Tretyakov Gallery “Art of the 20th Century” in Pobednaya Square as part of the “Cherry Forest” festival.

The central event of the Russia Day celebration will be a performance on Red Square with the participation of leading musical artists, which will begin at 17.30 and end at 22.00. Among the stars will be Yolka, Igor Krutoy, Dmitry Koldun, Dima Bilan, “Meaning Hallucinations”, Alexander F. Sklyar, Valeria, Philip Kirkorov and Alexander Rosembaum. After the end of the event, visitors will receive a ceremonial fireworks display.

Russia Day 2017 in Moscow: Sokolniki

Sokolniki Park will host 4 large-scale events on June 12. At 12:00, the “Big Training” of the television channel “Match TV” starts on Festival Square, at which the honored Russian motorcycle extreme sportsman Marat Kankadze will perform. Football fans, especially fans of the capital's Spartak, will be able to look at the Russian Football Premier League Cup, which the red and white won this year for the first time in 16 years.

After training and until 21:00 there is a concert “Ours in the City” with the participation of young artists. The headliner of the event is the rock band “7B”, popular, in particular, thanks to the song “Young Winds”.
There will be something to see on Fontannaya Square: another concert will be held there from 13:00 to 21:00, and a meeting of park guests with four-time Olympic champion in gymnastics Alexei Nemov is also planned.
From 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., the III Moscow Festival of Contemporary Literature will be held on the Rotunda stage. Among the event's visitors was video blogger Nikolai Sobolev, who collected more than 3 million subscribers on YouTube in a record period. He will present his own recently published book, “The Path to Success.”

Russia Day 2017 in Moscow: Krasnaya Presnya

In the Krasnaya Presnya park they will teach you how to fly kites and design airplanes. In addition, there will be a lesson on the history of the national flag.

From two o'clock there will be a performance by Russian Radio. The event will be hosted by the authors of the early show “Russian Peppers” and TV and radio presenter Dmitry Olenin. Among the speakers are Sati Casanova, Yulia Kovalchuk and Alexey Chumakov.

Moscow celebrates Russia Day 2017: Pushkinskaya Square
The festival town “Multinational Russia” will open on the square from 12 o’clock. The “Country of Cartoons” tents will be presented (cartoons about various localities and peoples), the interactive “Country of Crafts” - a forge with pecker and anvil, and the uninspired workshop “Country of Dolls” will open its doors. Guests will also be interested in the “Country in Details” exhibition, which shows the diversity of absolutely all 85 regions of the Russian Federation.

At 14:00 a big concert will begin with the participation of national groups and artists. The event will be hosted by actress Yana Poplavskaya and performer Zarif Norov. The initiators of the festival were the Federal Agency for National Affairs.

Russia Day 2017 in Moscow: Poklonnaya Hill

The Central Museum of the Great Patriotic War will open its doors free of charge on Poklonnaya Hill. On Russia Day, everyone will be able to visit dioramas, visit expositions and exhibitions, as well as open areas for weapons and military equipment.

The main event will be the patriotic flash mob “Symbols of Russia”. Hundreds of students, teenagers, members of youth and public organizations will unfurl the flag of the Russian Federation and perform the anthem accompanied by a brass band.

Russia Day 2017 in Moscow: Tverskaya Street, Teatralny Proezd and Triumfalnaya Square

On Russia Day, capital residents can expect free excursions and fireworks

From 12 to 20 o'clock on the section from Pushkinskaya Square to Manezhnaya, as well as on Okhotny Ryad, a large-scale holiday "Russian History Day" will take place. The site will be divided into 17 thematic zones. Thus, on the territory of “Dyakovskaya Culture” the activities of weavers, potters and jewelers will be demonstrated, in the “Rus and Neighbors” zone - equipment of Russian troops, and on the site “USSR in the 30s” you can play board games and listen to songs with a guitar , watch the parade of athletes and an exhibition of vintage cars. In a space dedicated to the Great Patriotic War, courses for machine gunners, nurses and air defense fighters will be held.

At the same time, a special equestrian program will be held on Teatralny Proezd. The main performances are performances by the team of the Cavalry Honorary Escort of the Presidential Regiment and the Kremlin Riding School “Traditions of Equestrian Russia”.
Art lovers will definitely want to head to Triumfalnaya Square - the Tretyakov Gallery exhibition “Art of the 20th Century” and the Chereshnevy Forest festival will be held there.

Russia Day 2017 in Moscow: Festival "Multinational Russia"

12.00 - start of work of the festival town on Pushkinskaya Square;

14.00 - press conference with the participation of the winners and jury members of the All-Russian children's competition "Dolls in national costumes of the peoples of Russia";

15.00 - 15.20 - music and dance improvisations “Peoples' Friendship Parade”;

15.30 - 15.50 - the official part and the Russian anthem performed by the concert participants;

15.50 - 20.00 - large concert program.

On Russia Day, the Hermitage Garden will host a samovar festival, Samovarfest. To mark this holiday, the largest wood-burning samovar will be brought to the capital. The volume of this samovar is 300 liters. It will be included in the Russian Book of Records as the tallest brass samovar in the country.

The Shield and Lyre festival will take place on June 12 from 17:00 to 22:00. As part of this event, a gala concert of the winners of the XII festival of musical creativity of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia “Shield and Lyre” is planned with the participation of popular creative groups, performers from among the employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia and the Central Concert Orchestra of the Russian Police.

Music Festival "Russia"will take place in the Kolomenskoye Nature Reserve from 12:00 to 22:00:

12.00 - ensemble "Fidgets" (scene on a potato field), folk ensemble "Besedushka" (interactive on the grass),
State Brass Band of Russia (at the entrance to the park);

12.30 - Moscow chamber orchestra Musica Viva (stage at the meadery);

13.00 - Lyudmila Ryumina and the ensemble "Rusy" (stage at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord), children's hour with the theater of people and puppets "Eccentrics" (interactive on the grass);

13.30 - State Orchestra “Guslars of Russia” (stage on a potato field), State Brass Band of Russia (at the entrance to the park), Moscow Chamber Orchestra Musica Viva (pavilion 1825);

14.00 - accordion ensemble “Russian Timbre” (stage at the meadery), Moscow State Historical and Ethnographic Theater (interactive on the grass);

14.30 - sacred music ensemble “Blagovest” (pavilion of 1825);

15.00 - Dmitry Pokrovsky's ensemble (stage at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord), State Academic Orchestra of Soloists "Russian Patterns" (scene on a potato field), children's hour with the theater of people and puppets "Eccentrics" (interactive on the grass);

15.30 - soloists of the New Opera Theater (stage at the meadery);

16.00 - soloists of the Helikon-Opera theater, ball in a noble estate (pavilion of 1825), Dmitry Pokrovsky ensemble (interactive on the grass);

16.30 - stars of the show “Dancing” on the TNT channel Adam and Nastya Cherednikova, dance flash mob (scene at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord), Moscow State Academic Dance Theater “Gzhel” (scene in a potato field);

17.00 - Moscow State Chapel named after Vadim Sudakov (scene at the meadery);

18.00 - Helikon-Opera theater, gala concert (stage at the Church of the Ascension of the Lord).

Another interesting event planned for June 12 is the demonstration performance of the Presidential Regiment's equestrian escort. On Teatralny Proezd, riders will demonstrate the art of horsemanship and the skill of changing lines in the best traditions of the equestrian ceremony.

A sports festival dedicated to Russia Day will be held in Perovsky Park on June 12 from 11:00 to 13:00. There you will be able to do fitness exercises and receive a master class from athletes and professional instructors.

Russia Day 2017. Fireworks. Fireworks points on the map

The central site of Russia Day, of course, will be Red Square. The ceremonial events here will begin at 17:00 with a large gala concert. However, to get to it, you will need special invitations. But the fireworks, which will decorate the capital’s sky at ten o’clock in the evening, can be seen from almost anywhere in the city: salvos will be launched at the Bolshoy Moskvoretsky Bridge.

Fireworks for Russia Day 2017. Where is the best place to watch the fireworks

1. Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill - point No. 1 on the Alley of Partisans 400 meters from the Museum of the Great Patriotic War
2. Victory Park on Poklonnaya Hill - point No. 2 on the hill near the entrance platform
3. Luzhniki - Luzhnetskaya embankment, opposite the Big Sports Arena
4. BDHX - on the square between Agricultural Street and the northern gate of BDHX
5. Novo-Peredelkino - a vacant lot on the shore of a pond, Fedosyino street, building 18
6. Lianozovo - on the shore of Altyfievsky Pond, Novgorodskaya street, building 38
7. Izmailovo - a town named after Bayman, a site on the shore of the Silver-Grape Pond
8. Kyzminki - POCTO site, 3apeche street, building 3A, building 1
9. Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo - territory of the Tyshino airfield, 500 meters southwest of the Volokolamsk highway
10. Mitino - park behind the Aquamarine sports complex, Poslovka street, building 5
11. Obpychevo - sports ground 60 meters south-east of the main building of RUDN, Miklykho-Maklaya street, building 6, building 1
12. Borisovskie ponds - Moskva River embankment area, Borisovskie ponds street, building 25, building 2
13. South Butovo - on the shore of Chernevsky Pond, Academician Pontryagina Street, building 11, building 3
14. Levoberezhny district - Friendship Park, area near the sculpture “Friendship of Continents”, Festivalnaya street, building 2B
15. 3elenograd - on the shore of the pond in Victory Park, Ozernaya Alley, building 8
16. Troitsk - on the territory of the Physical Institute of the PAH, 300 meters north-east of property 11, Physical street, property 11

Fireworks for Russia Day 2017. Fireworks points on the map

Below you can see an interactive map of the location of fireworks points. In other words, see where the fireworks will be on the map.

Russia Day 2017. Parking

In Moscow, on June 12, motorists will be able to leave their cars in parking spaces for free, it is reported on website Moscow parking. You can leave your car without paying in any parking lot located on the road network and included in the capital’s parking zone.

At the same time, flat parking with barriers will remain paid and will operate at current rates. General Director of the State Public Institution “Administrator of the Moscow Parking Space” (AMPS) Alexander Grivnyak noted that drivers must follow traffic rules and leave cars only in permitted places.

Russia Day 2017. History of the holiday

Russia Day previously, until 2002, was called Russian Independence Day. Russia Day is a public holiday and is one of the “youngest” holidays in the country.

Numerous surveys periodically conducted by the media or sociological services show that every year the number of Russians who do not know what date Russia Day is celebrated is decreasing. Levada Center conducted the statistical research. The opinions of Russians regarding the celebration of this day were studied. The information received showed that less than 1/2 of the population considers the holiday to be Russia Day.

A significant proportion of Russians call the solemn date Independence Day. Another few percent of residents consider the event to be Declaration of Independence Day. Some perceive June 12 as the date of the election of the first Russian president.

Representatives of different generations almost all confidently call the 12th day of the first summer month a holiday; a significant percentage of patriots consider it a significant date.

Russia Day: Popularity among the people

Despite the policy of popularizing the holiday, not all Russians know what holiday June 12 is. The Levada Center conducted a corresponding survey. Russians' opinions on what June 12 is celebrated in Russia are divided between Russia Day, Independence Day, and the Day of the Declaration of Independence. Some people remember that on this day the first Russian president was elected. In general, less than half of Russians know that June 12 is Russia Day.

The following data was obtained according to Levada Center:

47% of respondents chose the correct option - Russia Day;

33% - live in the early 2000s and voted for Independence Day;

6% - remembered Boris Yeltsin;

8% - did not answer anything;

4% said that this is not a holiday at all;

2% suggested options that stood out from the general list.

Russia Day: At the government level

Russians subconsciously draw an analogy between Russia's day, calling it Independence Day, and Independence Day in the United States. This is fundamentally wrong. If the United States gained independence at once, from the moment the Declaration was signed, then Russia has been independent for a very long time, and the date of the proclamation of Russia as a state cannot be specifically named.

However, it’s not just ordinary people who don’t know what holiday June 12th is, but those at the top also have difficulty defining it. As deputy Nikolai Pavlov rightly noted in 2007, the beginning of the Declaration of Sovereignty proclaims Russia to be part of the Soviet Union. The exact text reads as follows: “Parting back, Alexey Mitrofanov generally stated that with the same success, along with a national holiday, June 12 can be considered the day of the LDPR, because on this day Zhirinovsky took 3rd place in the presidential elections, which secured himself an influential place in politics." This is such a mess.

Russia Day: History of the holiday

At the state level, this is, of course, the most important holiday today. This is the date from which the formation of a new statehood began based on the principles of democracy, civil law, and federalism.

At first, people were not in the mood for the holidays. June 12th - what a holiday! The difficult situation in the country, default after default, crisis after crisis... There is no time to delve into the essence of the political situation - just to feed yourself and your family. At that time, surveys were also conducted, and the results were not impressive - when people mentioned Independence Day, people’s eyes did not light up with patriotism, they did not understand the essence of the holiday. The only thing that pleased the Russians was an additional day off, which they could devote to rest. The authorities, of course, sought to popularize the holiday, held rallies and demonstrations, but this was somehow done without enthusiasm.

The same Boris Yeltsin decided to change the meaning of the holiday by changing the name. In 1998, a proposal was made to rename it Russia Day, but the final decision was made only in 2002.

Today is Russia Day - a symbol of national unity, Motherland, freedom, peace and harmony. The patriotism of the people is growing, perhaps this happened thanks to the successful Winter Olympics in Sochi and the annexation of Crimea. We may not yet fully understand the importance of this holiday, but, undoubtedly, we have begun to relate to it much better. Perhaps the whole reason is that life in the country has improved somewhat.

Russia Day: What happened before...

Celebrating Russia Day today, June 12, we must not forget about the centuries-old history and traditions of the state, because its formation took place not in 1990, but much earlier, informs w. There were times when the glory of the state burned even brighter. And the fact that today we are independent is the result not of the signing of the Declaration of Sovereignty of Russia, but of the centuries-old efforts of our ancestors, who earned this right at the cost of their blood and happiness.

There was an event in the history of Russia that was comparable in significance to the signing of the 1990 Declaration. This event is the election of Andrei Yuryevich Bogolyubsky as Prince of Rostov and Suzdal. It happened on June 4, 1157. As a result, northeastern Rus' became independent in relation to Kyiv, and Andrei Bogolyubsky became the first elected prince. This is where parallels need to be drawn.

Later, the Grand Duchy of Vladimir, ruled by Andrei Bogolyubsky, became the Grand Duchy of Moscow. And it already served as the basis for an independent Russian state. This is how Kievan Rus collapsed, and this is how the Soviet Union collapsed. Thank God that we managed to preserve the foundations of statehood in that distant time and in our recent past.

In 1990, large-scale rallies were held in Moscow, which attracted up to a million people. They demanded decisive changes in various spheres of life of the USSR, including political ones.

The peoples of the USSR demanded the right to national self-determination and economic freedom. By the summer of 1990, four union republics - Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Azerbaijan - had already adopted their own Declarations of Sovereignty. Twenty-two autonomous republics that were part of the RSFSR - from Tatarstan to the Jewish Autonomous Region - fought for equal political rights with the union republics and were also ready to recognize themselves as sovereign states. It is important to note that at that time neither the union nor the autonomous republics planned to secede from the USSR. They only wanted to have the opportunity to develop freely, taking into account their national and regional characteristics as part of a common union state.

On June 12, 1990, the First Congress of People's Deputies of the RSFSR adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Russia. This document declared the priority of the Russian Constitution over union laws (many of which have long been outdated and have become a brake on social development), and also adopted a new name for the state - “Russian Federation”. The Declaration proclaimed the equality of all citizens of the Russian Federation, approved the right to use subsoil and resources, and to independently manage the economic sphere. It was also allowed to create independent political parties and public organizations.

A year after the adoption of the Declaration, on June 12, 1991, the first open popular presidential elections in the history of the Russian Federation were held. Boris Yeltsin won them.

Public Holiday

Interestingly, June 12 was approved as a public holiday twice. This first happened in 1992 by decree of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation, and it was then that this day became a non-working day. In 1994, a decree of President Boris Yeltsin fixed the solemn date as “The Day of Adoption of the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Federation.” After some time, for simplicity, they began to call it Independence Day.

But the new holiday was not widely popular among Russians for a long time. Many did not understand what its essence was and considered it just another day off. Some had a completely negative attitude towards him, considering him the cause of the collapse of the USSR (although, according to political scientists, this is a mistaken idea).

In 1998, Boris Yeltsin proposed celebrating June 12 as Russia Day. But the new name was officially adopted only in 2002 - after the release of the updated Labor Code regulating the dates of state celebrations.

Russia Day today

Nowadays, Russia Day is becoming increasingly popular as a holiday of national unity, patriotism and civil harmony. On this day, national flags are flown throughout the country. In the Kremlin, the President presents state awards and prizes to outstanding scientists, athletes and artists. On city streets and squares there are festivals, folk festivals and performances of creative groups.

In 2019, the holiday on June 12 falls on Wednesday. The holiday will be celebrated on the largest scale in Moscow. On this day, peaceful rallies and processions with national flags will be held in the city. Residents and guests of the capital will be able to visit the exhibition of military equipment and see a vibrant show with the reconstruction of important historical events in Russia.

Festival “Russia Day. Moscow Time" invites guests to sports competitions, performances, dances, creative and gastronomic master classes, which will be held throughout the city.

At VDNKh you will be able to try tea from a samovar and national dishes of different peoples of Russia, watch performances by folk groups, learn folk crafts and take pictures in a haystack.

A large-scale concert with the participation of Russian stars of the first magnitude will begin on Red Square at 19:00. The show will end at 22:00 with the performance of the Russian anthem and colorful fireworks. This year, fireworks will be launched at 16 sites in different areas of Moscow: on Red Square, at the Bolshoi Moskvoretsky Bridge, on Poklonnaya Hill, Vorobyovy Gory and other places. A total of 500 fireworks are planned to be launched.