ASU News

On May 27-28, 2026, the Lago-Naki Health Resort proudly hosted the grand opening of the Adyghe Traditions Festival, "Ornament of Life," a large-scale federal-level cultural and educational project generously supported by the Presidential Foundation for Cultural Initiatives.

For two days, the picturesque grounds of the Lago-Naki Health Resort were transformed into a vibrant space for art, creativity, and cultural dialogue, bringing together renowned representatives of culture, esteemed educators, youth organizations, talented artists, skilled musicians, dedicated volunteers, and esteemed guests from across Russia.

The festival takes place during the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and aims to preserve, develop, and modernize the cultural heritage of the Adyghe people. It also seeks to strengthen interethnic harmony and pass down traditional spiritual and moral values to future generations. The central symbol of the event is the Adyghe ornament—a meaningful language that reflects a person's connection to family, nature, history, and cultural memory.

A comprehensive preparatory program was implemented for the opening: a series of educational webinars, the All-Russian Ornament Competition "LIK – as a Reflection of Life," and three art residencies that brought together artists, landscape designers, musicians, vocalists, and dancers from across the country.

Representatives from 38 regions of the Russian Federation, from Kaliningrad to Kamchatka, participated in the "LIK" competition. Works created by participants in three age categories—from 8 to 60 years old—explored themes of family, lineage, generational memory, and cultural identity. The best works became part of the Festival's exhibition space.

More than 20 regions of Russia have already become direct participants in the "Ornament of Life" project. Three art residencies have resulted in dozens of land sculptures, art objects, paintings, musical and theatrical productions, which today shape the new ethnocultural space of the Republic of Adygea and become part of its cultural and tourist environment.

Representatives of relevant ministries and agencies of the Republic of Adygea, public organizations, educational institutions, the cultural community, volunteer associations, students and guests of the Lago-Naki Health Resort, as well as the Ashmez folklore and ethnographic ensemble, the Annakhata musical group, the Insight Models inclusive modeling studio, the Lapse vocal and instrumental group, flutist and pianist Anton Kholomyev , folklorist Artemy Novikov, the SENO Creative Laboratory, and the N.I. Uvarova Zvonnitsa creative association participated in the opening events. Singer, actress, and TV presenter Sati Kazanova served as the Festival's guest of honor .

The Festival's opening turned into a large-scale immersive ethnocultural event, including the SuzieM ethno-fashion show by  Susanna Makerova , a lecturer at Adyghe State University , a presentation of art objects from three art residencies, an exhibition from the LIK competition, a theatrical show called "Ornament of Life," musical and vocal performances, a screening of the Festival's feature film, and creative meetings with project participants.

All art objects, artworks, musical compositions, and the film "Ornament of Life" created within the project are available in the Festival's digital catalog, allowing residents of all regions of Russia to experience the project's results.

The festival continues. From May 29 to June 7, guests can enjoy daily master classes, creative meetings, and cultural tours. From June 13 to July 26, "Festival Weekends" will begin—a series of family and cultural events for residents and visitors of the Republic of Adygea.

This fall, the project's art objects and the feature film "Ornament of Life" will be presented at venues across the Republic of Adygea, as well as at the Representative Office of the Republic of Adygea in Moscow.

The project is already becoming one of the region's largest cultural venues and a significant national event in the field of cultural heritage preservation. By the end of 2026, more than 50,000 Russians will have experienced the Festival's events. The feature film "Ornament of Life," created as part of the project, will be shown at cultural venues in Adygea and beyond.

The festival makes a significant contribution to strengthening interethnic harmony, promoting social consolidation, and creating a space of cultural unity where traditions become part of the modern era and ancestral heritage becomes a resource for the future.

Learn more about the festival on the project's official website .