President Halonen met the Finno-Ugric peoples of Mordovia in Russia

President of the Republic Tarja Halonen visited Saransk, the capital of the Mordvin Republic in Russia on Thursday July 19. There she met Russian President Vladimir Putin for bilateral talks. The two Presidents then attended the opening of a Finno-Ugric folklore festival and met representatives of Finno-Ugric organisations. The Hungarian Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsány also attended the event.

Prime Minister Gyursány, President Putin and President Halonen at Mordovian village Staraya Terizmorga. Photo: Lehtikuva.

In addition to Saransk the three leaders visited the village of Staraya Terizmorga, where the programme included a visit to the village school and church and a working dinner.

About one third of the inhabitants of the Mordvin Republic belong to the Erzya or Moksha branch of Mordvins, one of the Finno-Ugric peoples. The Mordvins are the biggest of the Finno-Ugric peoples living in various parts of Russia and now number about 840 000.

The three-day Shumbrat folklore festival to be held for the 12th time is expecting thousands of participants from all over Russia, Finland, Estonia and Hungary.