PUBLIC ASSOCIATIONS

PUBLIC ASSOCIATIONS, voluntary self‑governing non‑profit entities created based on personal initiative by people who united for protection of common interests and implementation of the ideas specified in the Charter. In 2012, there were more than 4,500 P.a. in various economic fields in RB, including charities, veterans’ [ref. Organization of Veterans (Pensioners) of War, Labour, Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies], military patriotic, children’s, women’s (ref. Women’s Move­ ment), disabled people, cultural enlightenment, youth (ref. Youth Organizations and Movements) organizations, national cultural centres, trade unions, sports, tourism, environmental and other entities. In RB, there are: the House of Peoples’ Friendship, Peoples’Assembly of the RB, World Kurultay (Congress) of Bashkirs, Republican youth’s movement, and history and cultural centres. The P.a. of the Bashkirs operate in order to preserve and develop the Bashkir national culture in RB, in other regions of the Russian Federation and in foreign countries. They participate in the compatriots meetings, days of the Bashkir culture, Muslim holidays, Sabantuys, competitions, festivals; collection of materials on local history, scientific conferences, publication of works on hist. and local hist., discovery of monuments; revival of folk crafts and creation of folk groups; preservation of the Bashkir language, establishment of Bashkir secondary and Sunday schools, etc.