National Russian Week - the date?

[Josh Wilson]

While I see the argument, from a marketing perspective, I don't see a lot of
hope in Sept 8th as a date to celebrate. It has no direct relevance for the
present and nobody is likely to look at this holiday and say "I know just
how to celebrate this joyous occasion."

"Russia Day" was founded on similar principles and most folks that I know in
Russia regard it as "some holiday" and most cannot tell you what it actually
means. Most make no plans for it outside of maybe going to the dacha and
using it as simply a day off. They don't even bother with the olivie.  

To make something successful, I think we need something with more pertinence
and lasting brand-power. 

I propose Maslinitsa for discussion, which has lots going in its favor: 

1. It is a modern and historical holiday - giving a chance to discuss to
discuss at once modern Russia and its ancient roots 
2. It is distinctly Russian
3. It has established and ongoing traditions (which are fun for the whole
family) 
4. It's already a week long
5. It comes with blini - probably the single best intro to Russian culture
ever (who can say "No" to blini?) 

Downsides would be:

1. It can come early in the spring semester, which may make it logistically
challenging for profs, etc. 
2. Its dates change every year - which means you need to keep up (though as
someone who has lived in Russia for sometime, this seems actually
appropriate, to tell the truth...) 

Maslenitsa for this year is Feb 8-14, btw - just around the corner.
http://www.sras.org/russian_holidays 

Anyone else have ideas? 



Josh Wilson
Assistant Director
The School of Russian and Asian Studies
Editor in Chief
Vestnik, The Journal of Russian and Asian Studies
SRAS.org 
jwilson at sras.org


-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list
[mailto:SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Inna Caron
Sent: Wednesday, January 27, 2010 5:53 PM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] National Russian Week - the date?

What about September 8th? Historically, it has been a great Russian holiday
(Rozhdestvo Bogoroditsy/The Nativity of the Theotokos), and it is also the
date of the epic Kulikovo Battle (1380) and of the opening of the
Tysiacheletie Rossii/1000 Years of Russia memorial in Velikii Novgorod
(1862).


________________________________________
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list
[SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] on behalf of David Powelstock
[powelstock at BRANDEIS.EDU]
Sent: Tuesday, January 26, 2010 8:08 PM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: Re: [SEELANGS] National Russian Week?

A great idea, Devin! Maybe we could get the folks at Russian Life Magazine
involved. As for a date, I don't know. There really isn't any consensus
national holiday, is there? International Women's Day? We tend to celebrate
IWD at Brandeis -- partly because it's amusingly sentimental, partly because
it comes as the weather starts getting warmer, but while school is in
session. Ivan-Kupala, pagan edition? Falls in summer, no good.

David Powelstock

-----Original Message-----
From: SEELANGS: Slavic & East European Languages and Literatures list
[mailto:SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu] On Behalf Of Devin Browne
Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 9:04 AM
To: SEELANGS at bama.ua.edu
Subject: [SEELANGS] National Russian Week?

Has the profession (whatever that means) ever considered establishing a
National Russian Week in the U.S.?  As a French and Russian teacher, I've
seen how effective National French Week can be in raising awareness in my
school about what kinds of things are going on in the French-speaking world
as well as in my classroom.  It would be helpful to have something similar
in Russian.  I've contemplated doing my own thing and coinciding it with...
well, um.... the only thing I could find on the internet was Russian Fashion
Week in April and October.  Maybe that's a little over the top, but I'm open
to suggestions!  :-)

Devin

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