Chechnya celebrates Eighth of March

In honour of the International Women's day Chechnya held mass festivities. In the streets of cities and large settlements women are presented flower and CDs with congratulation on behalf of President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov.

The events are organized by the Committee on Youth Matters of the Government of Chechnya together with the youth organizations and movements. In particular, the mass action under the motto "Let's present flowers to women" involves a hundred young men. Besides, today the youth radio all the day long congratulates women with songs and verses.

"In total, during this holiday we have presented more than two thousand bouquets of flowers and CDs with Ramzan Kadyrov's personal congratulation and variety songs dedicated to our respected women. The guys also read poetry to women. We managed to create a holiday atmosphere; and women thanked us for gifts and congratulations," said Murad Tagiev, head of the Committee.

March 8 was announced to be a day-off in the republic; and the holiday is called "sinqueram" (festival). Prior to the holiday, law enforcers strengthened their security measures in places, where masses of people were expected.

A number of actions held all over the republic were dated to the International Women's Day. Thus, the Republic's Chess Club holds a girls' chess tournament with 18 participants aged 10-19.

Districts run qualification rounds of the nationwide contest "The Worthiest Young Woman", where the jury appreciates not only the appearance of pretenders but also cooking talents and knowledge of the history, customs and traditions of their native land.

Activists of the Patriotic Club "Ramzan" have visited Alpata Murtazalieva, a resident of Goi-Chu village, who was 100 years old right on March 8. They congratulated the long-liver and presented a worthy gift, the official website of the President and Government of Chechnya reports.

The Ministry of Labour Employment and Social Development organized holiday dinners in children's social establishments, and Republic's Gerontology and Alpaty Social-Rehabilitation Centres. A party for women-invalids under the motto "Motives of Spring" was held at the special library for blind persons in Grozny.

The Central Library of Grozny opened a photo exhibition of the well-known photographer Khalid Dabirov. The show is on the International Women's Day and the Chechen woman.

Yesterday, on the eve of the holiday, President of Chechnya Ramzan Kadyrov congratulated the women of the republic on the forthcoming holiday: "Dear women! Our esteemed mothers and sisters! The Eighth of March is another occasion for us to express our admiration with the pious Chechen women. They have faced heavy trials both in the historical past and during the recent turmoil of the warfare. In severe years of deportation of our people we managed to survive, preserve our national traditions, language and customs, and strengthen our religion right through heroism of our women."

"Chechens have a proverb: 'When a man spoils - his family is spoilt; when a woman spoils - the nation is spoilt.' From antiquity, Chechens had especially respectful attitude to their women. The woman is the keeper of the hearth and home… We pay tribute to our women and recognize their invaluable role in spiritual-and-moral upbringing of the nation. We express out respect to their spiritual cleanliness, selflessness and commitment to Muslim traditions... Dear women! Get my sincere congratulations on this spring holiday. I wish peace, health, well-being and true human happiness to you and all your relatives! Let Allah keep you!" runs the address.

However, residents of Chechnya have a sort of dual attitude to the International Women's Day. On the one hand, senior generations remember quite well how this day was marked in the USSR; on the other hand, some young people do not regard this day to be a holiday.

"Our republic has the Day of Chechen Woman marked on September 20. Why should we then celebrate the Eighth of March, which was introduced back in the USSR nobody knows why and by whom? Actually, we mark the Women's Day twice a year," Vakha Sadaev, a local resident, said on the occasion.

Traders in flowers are certainly positive to the holiday. In preparation and on the very day they sell out their usual monthly volume. In Grozny, as well as in district centres, spontaneous flower marketplaces appear in such areas, where any trade is forbidden on usual days; but on March 8 militiamen are indulgent to such violations.

Let us note here that Chechnya is traditionally notable among other regions of the Caucasus for a great demand for flowers on the eve of the International Women's Day. Last year, as the "Caucasian Knot" reported, preparation for the holiday was accompanied in Grozny by jams and queues at florists' shops.