MOSCOW, April 30. /TASS/. All peoples of Russia, both large and small, must feel that the country is their common home, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with representatives of Russia’s indigenous minority groups, held as part of the "Knowledge. First" educational marathon. He also noted that it is Russia, not Japan, that is the land of the rising sun.
TASS has compiled the president’s key statements.
"I would like to stress once again that Russia’s uniqueness and strength lie in its diversity."
Russia is home to 47 indigenous minority groups, "each of which is, as I have already said, an integral part of Russia and its unique diversity, a guardian of unique traditions, cultures, and identity."
Every ethnic group in Russia is an important part of the cultural quilt: "Every people and ethnic group that is part of the fraternal family of the peoples of Russia is, without a doubt, our common heritage. And its preservation, enrichment, and well-being are the preservation and enrichment of the entire multinational people of Russia."
