Paris, March 19, 2015. The organizing committee on preparations for the Days of Dagestan and Derbent met early March at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris to discuss Derbent’s 2,000th anniversary, a source in Dagestan House of Folk Arts of the republican ministry of culture told RIA Dagestan.

Dagestan minister of culture Zarema Butaeva accompanied the working group of the organizing committee in Paris. During the meetings at the UNESCO headquarters, participants discussed technical issues of the gala concert, exhibitions and other events related to the Days of Culture of Dagestan and Derbent in Paris; they announced the plans and proposals for implementing the program and outlined further cooperation.

The Days of Dagestan Culture and Derbent in Paris are scheduled for December, 2015. They will include an exposition of Dagestan featuring a photo exhibition, arts and crafts, and traditional and folk arts and crafts: carved wood, Untsukul metal notching on wood, carpets and rugs, embroidery, ceramics, copper-engraved products, traditional costume of local peoples, and jewelry. Apart from that, Dagestani artists and creative teams will give a concert and the Dagestan head will organize a reception on his behalf.

The 37th UNESCO session adopted the Calendar of significant dates of UNESCO which includes carrying out the Days of Dagestan and Derbent in Paris at the UNESCO headquarters provided with a free hall for the artists’ concert and rooms for ethnic and photo exhibitions.

As the most ancient city in the Russian Federation, a unique monument of history, culture, architecture and archeology, Derbent is on the UNESCO’s World Heritage list and the list of Russia’s material heritage.