Makhachkala, May 30, 2014. The St. Petersburg’s Daghestan ensemble of Caucasus culture "Friendship" and the children’s choreographic ensemble "Imamate" became winners of the annual St. Petersburg festival of amateur art of national and cultural associations and recreational facilities "Let’s Join Hands, Dear Friends!"

At the qualifying round held in the Railways’ House of Culture, out of 120 applicants, a professional jury sel ected 20 best creative amateur groups in the categories of "Vocal", "Dance", and "Instruments".

"This hasn’t been the first success of our ensembles, - said the Daghestan representative in St. Petersburg Gassan Gassanov congratulating the Daghestan winners. - They regularly perform at various cultural events and venues and win city, regional and international festivals."

A concert culminated the festival "Let’s Join Hands, Dear Friends!" held in the framework of the St. Petersburg government’s "Tolerance" program. It was initiated and organized by the city’s Culture Committee. At the concert, festival laureates and diploma winners sang folk songs, played instrumental music, and performed a bright multinational dancing.

The ending of the event was an awarding ceremony with gifts and diplomas for the winners. The awards were granted by President of the "Northern Palmyra" foundation I. Usenko. "Today it is critical to preserve and increase traditions of good neighborliness, mutual respect and friendship inherited fr om the older generations. One of the festival’s goals is just to enlarge our citizens’ knowledge of diversity and identity of national cultures," - he pointed out.