In Saransk festive events began dedicated to the 1000th anniversary of the unification of the Mordovian peoples and the Russian Federation. The event is celebrated as the all-Russian holiday. In January 2009, a decree on celebrating this date was signed by Russian President. The festivities in Saransk continue a series of events that have already taken place in the country regions densely inhabited by Mordovians.

On the first day, a local history museum and Ezra Museum of Fine Arts pleased visitors by new thematic exhibitions. In the Opera and Ballet Theatre a Russian peoples’ forum began.

In the morning of August 24, in the Soviet square a Russian folk craft exhibition opened. There was a theatrical parade “We All – Russia” in the central streets of Saransk. At the same time a concert began.

The festive events will be attended by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia Kirill, heads of the three foreign states of Finno-Ugric language family, heads of several Russian national republics, altogether more than 7,000 guests from various regions of Russia and countries of the world.