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CIRCASSIADA: A PRESENTATION ON THE WORLD CIRCASSIAN OLYPMIC GAMES
Khalid Hamgokwa

CC- News Department 06.10.2009

CC-News Department

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“Circassiada is a project of Circassian Olympic Games to be held in Nalchik in 2012 during 12 days in 12 branches of sport-corresponding to the number of stars on the Circassian flag. Its motto is an old Circassian proverb, “Kindness begets kindness”. The authors of the idea and the project are Sufian Zhemukho, current expert with PONARS’ Eurasia program and a former Fulbright scholar, and Aleksey Bekshoko, chairman of the Union of Abkhaz Volunteers”.

 

On Wednesday 09/30/2009, the Circassian Benevolent Association welcomed Mr. Sufian Zhemukho to present the Circassian Olympic Games project to the local Circassian community in New Jersey, USA. As a road scholar, Mr. Zhemukho already made presentations in six cities in Russia including St.-Petersburg, Moscow, Sochi, Cherkessk, Maykop and Lazarevsky settlement. The presentation held in USA is one of six planned abroad that Mr. Zhemukho will make in the near future including Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Sukhum (Abkhazia), and Great Britain.

 

The presentation surrounded the theme of 12 sports, 12 goals, 12 stages of preparation, 12 aspects of safety, 12 conferences, and 12 sources of funding. “The authors of the project have written a book on the issue: ‘Circassian Olympics: Presentation in Russia’ with articles in Circassian, Russian, English, and Turkish in the book”. Details concerning these themes are addressed in the book as well. Among the goals of the Circassian Olympic Games include but are not limited to: strengthening the mutual understanding between the international Circassian community and the Russian Federation; the role of Circassians in the 2014 Sochi Olympics; the repatriation of Diaspora Circassians; the establishing of a single Circassian republic; the development of the Circassian language; the awareness of Circassian history, culture, and traditions; and the economic development of Circassia.

The more controversial of issues on the international Circassian platform deals with the concerning connection between the Circassian Olympic Games and the Sochi Olympic Games. At this point it’s not necessary to choose a side in opinion, but rather to address the opposing beliefs and find a mutual agreement for the revival of the Circassian question. The role of Circassians in the Sochi Olympic Games needs to be defined much more clearly and a resolution for these need to be made.  In an article by Paul Goble, “Circassians in Jordan say they oppose the idea of a “Circassian Olympics” in 2012 because they believe it is intended to divide their nation and to “legitimatize” the Moscow-backed Sochi Games in 2014, an event most Circassians oppose because that competition would take place on the site of the genocide of their people in the 19th century”. Other Circassians see the Sochi Olympic Games as an opportunity to plead their case, rather than as an offense to be resisted. So, for them, the Circasssian Olympics will pave the way to reach this opportunity. In an article by Sufian Zhemukho, ‘The Circassian Dimension of the 2014 Sochi Olympics’, he brings the idea forward that “Russia’s recognition of Abkhazia has considerably softened the position of the Circassian world towards the Sochi Olympics. Though having adopted a more supportive view, Circassians continue to use the run-up to 2014 as a means to spread information about and draw attention to their cause”. So, is it safe to say that the Circassian Olympic Games is a “positive” tool in the “run-up” to 2014 in addressing the Circassian question? The answer is unclear and only time will tell. Mr. Zhemukho added “At the moment, the Circassian dimension is a relatively minor issue relative to the others that surround the Sochi Olympics. Only a few intellectuals and social groups are mobilizing around the cause, while other constituencies, like the more powerful local governments, evince far more enthusiasm”.

More information on the Circassian Olympic Games can be found on the web at http://www.circassiada.com/en/articles.php?cat_id=4

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