CURRENT CONTESTS
19 апреля - 10 мая 2021 года
Уважаемые участники конкурса!
Команда экспертов конкурса из Иркутска, Ростова-на-Дону, Москвы, Тамбова, Санкт-Петербурга, Свердловской области и городов нашего округа закончила оценку присланных на конкурс работ и мы с радостью объявляем результаты конкурса.
По результатам оценки конкурсных работ призовые места распределились следующим образом:
I место - Екатерина Николаевна Морозова, г. Губкинский;
II место - Диана Сергеевна Нарыжная, г. Ноябрьск;
III место - Татьяна Анатольевна Куликовская, г. Новый Уренгой. Татьяна Анатольевна также награждается ценным призом за план урока в категории "Урок о Ямале".
Поздравляем победителей и призёров!
Все участники конкурса получают сертификаты участников в электронном виде, скачать их можно, пройдя по этой ссылке.
Ценные призы и дипломы будут высланы победителям и призёрам посредством почтовой связи, о чём мы сообщим дополнительно в электронных письмах.
My Favourite Spot in My Town
19 апреля - 17 мая 2021 года
Уважаемые участники конкурса!
Команда экспертов конкурса закончила оценку присланных на конкурс работ и мы с радостью объявляем результаты конкурса.
В возрастной группе 10-11 классов призовые места распределились следующим образом:
I место - Ячнева Виталина, Максимов Илья, Колошева Ангира, руководитель: Ермолаева Л. А., гор. Ноябрьск
2 место - Родин Родион, Куракина Анастасия, Хуторенко Дмитрий, руководитель: Русина Ирина Леонидовна
3 место - Головачко Екатерина, руководитель: Ермолаева Л.А., гор. Ноябрьск
В возрастной группе 8-9 классов принимал участие только одна команда конкурсантов, которой присуждается
1 место - Дзене Ева, Кармачева Ольга, руководитель: Подорожняя Ю.С., гор. Губкинский
Поздравляем победителей и призёров, а также их педагогов!
Все участники конкурса получают сертификаты участников в электронном виде, скачать их можно, пройдя по этой ссылке.
Ценные призы и дипломы будут высланы победителям и призёрам посредством почтовой связи, о чём мы сообщим дополнительно в электронных письмах
Glorifying Yamalia
19 апреля - 10 мая 2021 года
Уважаемые участники конкурса!
Команда экспертов конкурса из Смоленска, Екатеринбурга и городов нашего округа закончила оценку присланных на конкурс работ и мы с радостью объявляем результаты конкурса.
В возрастной группе 3-4 классов призовые места распределились следующим образом:
I место - Мишель Утхунова, с. Мужи
II место - Гаджимурад Магомедов, г. Губкинский;
III место - София Вихлянцева, г. Надым.
Победитель и призёры в возрастной группе 5-7 классов:
I место - Кира Мурзакаева, г. Губкинский;
II место - Егор Вавилов, г. Ноябрьск;
III место - Фарида Велизаде, г. Ноябрьск.
Поздравляем победителей и призёров, а также их педагогов!
Все участники конкурса получают сертификаты участников в электронном виде, скачать их можно, пройдя по этой ссылке.
Ценные призы и дипломы будут высланы победителям и призёрам посредством почтовой связи, о чём мы сообщим дополнительно в электронных письмах.
MyBest Lesson
26 декабря 2019 - 27 января 2020 года
Жюри конкурса, в состав которого входят преподаватели английского языка и методисты из Великобритании, Марокко, Румынии, Венгрии, Узбекистана и России (Смоленск, Москва, Ростов-на-Дону, Муравленко, Ноябрьск, Надым), окончило оценку работ, и мы рады сообщить Вам имена победителей и призёров конкурса:
1 место - Ирина Леонидовна Русина, гор. Ноябрьск
2 место - Ирина Владимировна Зиньковская, гор. Надым
3 место - Альфия Рифкатовна Юсупова, гор. Муравленко
В особой номинации конкурса «Урок о Ямале» призёром признана Юлия Евгеньевна Норд, гор. Надым
Поздравляем победителей и благодарим всех участников конкурса! Надеемся видеть Ваши имена среди участников следующих конкурсов ямальский ассоциации преподавателей английского языка!
Сертификат участника можно загрузить здесь.
Дипломы и ценные призы будут высланы победителям и призёрам почтой.
для обучающихся 8 - 11 классов
Language Is Everything Around
26 декабря 2019 - 27 января 2020 года
Жюри конкурса, в состав которого входят преподаватели английского языка из Великобритании, Румынии, и России (Смоленск, Ростов-на-Дону, Муравленко, Ноябрьск, Надым), окончило оценку работ, и мы рады сообщить Вам имена победителей и призёров конкурса:
8-9 классы:
1 место - Амина Хабирова, гор. Новый Уренгой
2 место - Денис Семенченко, гор. Ноябрьск
3 место - Рамина Хусиева, пос. Вынгапуровский
10-11 классы:
1 место - Влада Ломанн, гор. Муравленко
2 место - Арина Пичугина, гор. Новый Уренгой
3 место - Екатерина Малышкина, гор. Муравленко
Поздравляем победителей и благодарим всех участников конкурса! Надеемся видеть Ваши имена среди участников следующих конкурсов ямальский ассоциации преподавателей английского языка!
Сертификат участника можно загрузить здесь.
Дипломы и ценные призы будут высланы победителям и призёрам почтой.
Работы победителей и призёров конкурса
8-9 классы
A language is much more than simply a means of communication. It has a vital connection with the cultural identity of those who speak it. A language is the cornerstone of who we are as a people. I am convinced that the cultural diversity is one of the strongest components of a healthy world. If we want to co-exist peacefully in today’s complex world, the starting point is respect for cultural diversity.
Unfortunately, nowadays we are facing a rapid decline of minority languages worldwide. Yamalian indigenous languages: Nenets, Khanty and Selkup- are not an exception. It is truly sad to realize that according to the levels of language endangerment, the first two languages are defined as definitely endangered, the Selkup language is critically endangered. When it comes to the status of Yamalian native languages, they are officially recognized as national or co-official. Consequently, they can be used in the public domain in a similar manner as the Russian language is used.
In my opinion, it is crucial to safeguard the native languages of indigenous northerners. To start with, if they disappear, the whole way of life, the whole layer of customs, traditions, art and deep ancestral knowledge will disappear with them because language loss is cultural loss. In addition, the more differences exist in our society, the more tolerant we can become. I mean we learn to respect ways of life other than our own, thus, developing greater understanding of the environment we live in and of the world, as well.
Luckily, the government of our district pays special attention to preservation of the indigenous languages. For example, in 2019 the regional department of education issued textbooks that were included in the federal list. Several Yamalian schools provide optional classes in native languages. According to Marina Kravets, the director of the regional department of education, the plans are to publish a textbook on the history of Yamalia. Besides, I cannot help mentioning a keen enthusiast Marina Yar, the editor-in-chief of the newspapers “Nyaryana Ngerm” and “Myniko”, who keeps up with the times and promotes the Nenets language on social networks.
Personally, I am of the opinion that we should use modern digital technologies to promote and preserve Yamalian native languages. We live in the era of state-of-the-art technologies and it will be a great error if we do not use them for this purpose. For instance, different applications can be developed to help young indigenous people to study their native language. It would also be a good idea to create a social network where indigenous northerners could meet, make friends and socialize. A great example is the Okwaho Network. It is an indigenous inspired social network that connects Canada's First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples to the greater global indigenous community. The Okwaho Network was created by two ambitious indigenous Canadian entrepreneurs. I am sure that such virtual communities would be able to encourage young indigenous northerners to communicate in their native language. They would also unite them and create a sense of belonging.
In conclusion, I do believe that language disappearance has an extremely negative impact on our cultural heritage because it results in irrecoverable cultural loss. All cultures are unique and valuable. At the same time, they are fragile and irreplaceable. That is why everything possible should be done to save minority languages. My sincere hope is that Yamalian indigenous languages will never face extinction.
It is common knowledge the main indigenous peoples of Yamal are the Nenets, the Selkup, the Mansi and the Northern Khanty. Their languages have a special status and the peoples themselves are entitled to use the languages in daily life, education and office work. However, more and more authorities and states claim that there is some crisis in the field of indigenous languages. As for me, this problem requires an explanation.
Firstly, it is important to note that the specificity of the Yamal languages is different from the one of the Russian language. The succession is not spread among the Nenets. It means that nowadays the increasing numbers of Nenets children are changing their accommodation and using the Russian language instead of Nenets during the childhood. That makes future generations of the native peoples forget their language.
Secondly, the total percentage of the indigenous language speakers among other people of Yamal has been decreasing during the past 60 years referring to the census. As well as the absence of the succession it leads to native population’s decrease and the languages` probable extinction.
Personally, I believe that one of the most efficient ways to save the Yamalian languages from extinction will be the popularization. They must be introduced in Yamalian universities. The dialects have to be developed and the line of indigenous languages student’s books must be typed and introduced. We may, also, follow the Finnish experience (to bring up the Nenets toddlers in language environment).
To draw a conclusion, one can say that even though Yamalian indigenous languages may face extinction some easy steps have to be done to save the languages and, therefore, to enrich and save the Yamalian cultural heritage.
The relevance of the research topic is associated with the worsening position of most indigenous languages and the negative dynamics of these languages in the school system.
Currently, the languages of the indigenous peoples of the North are characterized by limited use, mainly within the family or small production teams, the functioning of a number of languages of indigenous peoples is minimized. Many of them are on the verge of extinction and are listed in the Red Book of the languages of the Russian Federation, as well as in the Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger.
It should be noted that the Nenets peoples form the largest indigenous group of the Russian North (44 thousand) among the peoples recognized by Russian law as indigenous and small. Nenets are the titular people in the three autonomous regions. Even in these districts, the situation with languages is different, and even more so it varies in regions. Even more striking are the differences in the position of the languages of peoples, numbering only a few hundred, or even tens of people. According to UNESCO experts, many languages have already disappeared, and the languages of 13 of the 40 peoples of the North are on the verge of extinction
In the vast majority of cases, the communication mechanism of ethno cultural identity is the national (native) language, as a form of thinking and, in many ways, perceptions of one’s history, lifestyle, culture of community relations.
The language issue is the most important political issue for any nation. A language cannot be saved by speaking it only in the family. Language can only be stored in a certain territory - areas of compact residence of the people. This means that language must be sufficiently present in all major public spheres: in schools and kindergartens; in the media, print, information space; in the linguistic landscape - signs, advertising; where it is an official language - in state and commercial institutions.
The native languages of the indigenous peoples of the North on the territory of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District are the Nenets, Selkup and Khanty languages. According to the 2010 All-Russian Census, the number of these peoples in the region is 29,772, 4,400, 9,489 people, respectively.
Russians, who make up the bulk of the population, for the most part do not know local languages. Native speakers of these languages, on the contrary, learn Russian - as a rule, already in early childhood. For example, for a Russian-speaking individual living in Yamal, the likelihood of learning a language is extremely small - this would imply an exceptional personal interest and initiative. Of course, Russian-speaking children can be sent to local language lessons, but learning local languages in its modern form cannot be considered a guarantee of active mastery of them and ensuring language equality.
In multilingual communities of the tundra, for example, in the Yamalo-Nenets and former Dolgan-Nenets Autonomous Districts, indigenous peoples traditionally knew each other's languages.
For the expansion of the language it is necessary to preserve and develop the villages of small peoples and to introduce their study in kindergartens and elementary grades as well. Local dialects of nationalities included in the larger peoples can be preserved in rural areas by using and developing the basic literary language, and subject to the preservation and socio-economic development of the villages and villages in which their native speakers live.
The main factors for preserving the languages and cultures of national minorities in modern conditions are their full-fledged study as a subject and instruction in them at school, and widespread use in the media. Moreover, the use of language in the media, in other areas directly depends on the level of national education. Closed national communities, where language and culture would be preserved in conditions of isolation from other peoples, as it was 100 or more years ago, are practically gone.
For the development of the language and expansion, or at least maintaining the scope of its application, it is necessary to tentatively ensure that at least one third of schoolchildren study in their native national language and study at least half of the subjects. And most children should study it at least as a subject.
So, the Russian Federation is responsible for the preservation of about 80 indigenous languages. Of these 80 languages, more than 20 are on the verge of extinction. These are mainly the languages of the peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East. Less than 10% of the ethnic group speaks these languages, and the number of speakers of these languages is less than 300. And these are mostly elderly people over 60 years old, and some languages will go away with them. Therefore, there is a need for each representative of our people to defend their own national identity by studying the native language.
10-11 классы
The greatest wealth of a nation is its language! For thousands of years, countless treasures of human thought and experience have accumulated and live forever in the word.
Mikhail Alexandrovich Sholokhov
In the minds of people, a nation is often associated with its language. In fact, the language is a support on which national identity is formed. According to UNESCO, 43 percent of the world's indigenous languages are at risk of extinction. The situation with indigenous languages in Yamalia is relatively safe. Nevertheless, some people believe that it is necessary to intensify joint efforts of authorities, society, linguists and just caring people to protect the indigenous languages of Yamalia.
As for my opinion, I fully support this idea. To begin with, languages are a part of the world's cultural heritage and their death threatens the disappearance of entire cultures, impoverishing the universal capital of knowledge, thought, and cultural values. In Yamalia more than forty thousand indigenous people speak their native languages. In order to popularize them and attract public attention, a special project «We Speak Our Native Language» was launched in the region in 2019. Its participants were Nenets, Khanty, Selkups and Komi. The subject matter of the project was a native language and what should be done to save it. Besides, the protection of the indigenous languages of Yamalia allows to maintain traditional economic activities of the Northern peoples. The local population mostly leads a nomadic lifestyle, engaged in reindeer herding, fishing and hunting. For indigenous peoples, their language is not only an indicator of the origin or belonging to a community, but also a means of transmitting certain values. These values form the basis of knowledge systems that enable indigenous peoples to live in harmony with nature and are crucial for their survival. Concern for the future is one more reason for protecting indigenous languages. If the language lives, if there are people who speak and think in the languages of their ancestors, the people will live. After all, the language not only preserves the cultural heritage, but also reflects all the changes that occur in the life of its people. Everything possible is being done in Yamalia to preserve the language and the culture of the Northern ethnic groups. The regional educational system is focused on the development of bilingualism among indigenous children. Yamalia is the only region in Russia where a newspaper is published in the Nenets language. Also, books printed in the Khanty, Nenets and Selkup languages are presented in the collections of the National library of Yamalia. Moreover, there is a Law on the native languages of the indigenous peoples of the North in the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous district, according to which the state authorities of Yamalia carry out interregional and international cooperation in order to preserve, study and develop their native languages.
Despite all this, there are people who believe that the indigenous languages of Yamalia do not need protection. They claim it would be great if everyone spoke the same language and understood each other without problems. They do not see the need to speak to the indigenous peoples of Yamalia in their native language, when there is a Russian language that the whole country communicates in. Moreover, opponents believe that the struggle for the preservation of indigenous languages is a meaningless relic of Soviet national policy. If people themselves do not want to speak the native language, then the time of these languages has passed. They believe that trying to preserve a language that does not stand up to competition is harmful to the people themselves. According to them, people are forced to use an inefficient tool. And if the language is irrelevant, you should not waste resources to protect it. Opponents call the disappearance of indigenous languages a natural historical process and suggest simply accepting this fact.
I am afraid I cannot agree with these opposing views. In the context of rapid globalization and urbanization, the preservation of ethnic, cultural and linguistic diversity is no less important than the preservation of the diversity of natural areas, flora and fauna. Thus, with the disappearance of small languages, the country irreversibly loses its uniqueness and becomes poorer. As for a meaningless relic, the passive attitude to the fate of indigenous languages can be regarded as a dangerous negligence that can lead to the weakening of the entire language sphere.
All things considered, I would like to state that every language is unique. As a person born and living in Yamalia, I cannot remain indifferent to the feelings of the owners of the Northern lands. These feelings, in turn, are formed also under the influence of language connections between the indigenous population. After all, everyone knows that the unique traditions, culture and customs of the indigenous peoples of Yamalia are the national heritage of the country, it has its own expressions that reflect the mentality and customs of the people. Therefore, every self-respecting person should treat the indigenous languages of Yamalia with respect, as well as the languages of other nationalities, and do everything to protect and preserve it for posterity. Consent between people of different nationalities ensures the integrity of the entire state.
“When you lose a language, you lose a culture,
intellectual wealth, a work of art,
it’s like dropping a bomb on a museum, the Louvre”
Kenneth L. Hale
2019 was declared as the International Year of Indigenous Languages. It is the glorification of human diversity but, at the same time, it is an urgent reminder of the rate at which our diversity is being lost. Some Yamalians strongly believe that the indigenous languages of our district need protection and can be saved if certain initiatives are taken to revive them, while others are sure that their loss is inevitable, they are bound to go extinct.
As far as my opinion is concerned, I strongly believe that the native languages of the indigenous population of Yamalia, such as the Nenets, Khanty and Selkup languages are of utter importance, therefore, they need to be protected. First and foremost, they hold the key to understanding the environment we live in. This is because these languages are closely connected to the environment they are spoken in; they contain rich, detailed, precise and technical knowledge about Yamalian flora and fauna. Consequently, an indigenous language is an ecological encyclopedia and if it dies, its wisdom is lost to humanity forever. Furthermore, these languages are the finest libraries in existence, where we can find the collective history, vast knowledge, unique mythology and perceptions of the northern peoples. It is a well-known fact that the Nenets, Selkups and Khanty are immensely rich in oral traditions. Their stories, songs, poetry and rituals are passed down through the generations and remain astonishingly consistent and reliable through time. Last but not least, the indigenous languages reveal how differently it is possible for us, human beings, to perceive the world around us; how differently we, human beings, relate to the world around us, and how differently we make sense of this world. In other words, they are the greatest emblem of human diversity. Unfortunately, this diversity is being lost at an alarming rate, so, we need to take action.
However, there are those who are quite pessimistic about preserving the indigenous languages of northerners. To start with, the opponents consider that there are no relevant ways to stop them from extinction. In addition, they say that in today’s globalized world, language usage is changing rapidly, as a result, a lot of indigenous languages are under threat, many are disappearing and it is a global tendency, not only our local one.
Personally, I strongly disagree with the opponents’ point of view. I am absolutely convinced that we are powerful enough to save the indigenous languages of Yamalia from extinction. A lot of efforts are already being made. For instance, the state TV and radio broadcasting company “Yamal-region” has programmes in Nenets, Khanty and Selkup. They are mainly focused on the folklore and traditions. What is more, a great deal of attention is paid to teaching native languages at schools. Another positive development is the attention of the United Nations and scientists to this burning issue. Actually, the UN is currently taking the initiative to declare a decade of indigenous languages from 2022 to 2032. In November 2019, in Salekhard, the international scientific-practical conference "Yamal Humanitarian Readings: Topical Issues of Studying, Preserving and Developing Native Languages, Traditional Cultures, and Literature" was held. Such readings have been held every two years since the 1990s. Linguists from Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Syktyvkar, Naryan-Mar, Abakan, Khanty-Mansiysk, Salekhard and Helsinki make reports on the preservation of languages and scripts of the peoples of the Arctic. In addition to preserving linguistic diversity, the Yamal Humanitarian Readings also discuss the problems of training teachers from among the indigenous peoples, the development of traditional culture and law, and humanitarian research. For example, Elena Pushkaryova, Doctor of Historical Sciences, spoke about the Nenets language in Yamalia. The scientist is optimistic about it. According to her report, explanatory, etymological, dialectological and bilingual dictionaries are published in the Arctic region. Apart from dictionaries, books are published and cartoons are created, as well. Young Yamalians do not stay indifferent either. They are actively using the Nenets language in social networks. At the initiative of the youth parliament, cover versions of songs in the Nenets language have appeared. Another important event is the regional total dictation for Arctic ethnic groups. The aim of the dictation is to involve young people in preserving the languages of indigenous Arctic ethnic groups.
In conclusion, taking into consideration different views, positive results of local initiatives and the efforts of enthusiastic scientists, I am still of the opinion that we should preserve the linguistic diversity of our unique region, its historical and cultural heritage. Figuratively speaking, the world is a giant puzzle, we are each a piece of it, we all have a purpose. For every language that goes extinct, a vital piece of the human puzzle is forever lost. Hopefully, the Nenets, Khanty and Selkup languages will avoid extinction.
Number of people claim that it is necessary to prevent indigenous languages of Yamalia from disappearing, while others argue that saving them is nothing more than a waste of time. By all means, that it is a highly controversial matter.
I strongly believe that it is necessary to protect and revitalize any endangered language spoken by native people of the region for many different reasons. To begin with, hundreds of Russian experts today are exploring less commonly used languages in order to find similarities between different languages and reconstruct proto-languages. Secondly, while some linguists try to find an 'ancestral' language, from which a number of present languages are believed to have descended by evolution, other teams of professionals study the impact of a language on the way we think. This is called ‘cognitive linguistics’. And, finally, language is the foundation of a culture. For Indigenous societies, words hold knowledge amassed for millennia: religion, law, stories, songs, rites, dances and food. Therefore, by not protecting our natural diversity of languages, we neglect a cultural capital of a whole nation.
However, as critics are quick to point out, there is little practical usage of these languages in current realities. The main reason is intensive urbanization. Indigenous people tend to move to cities and refuse to teach children their national language, which is why young generation often loses their identity. In addition, many experts cite the American experience of protecting an indigenous culture. According to them, revitalizing a language can be successful if only the native speakers are kept in isolation from another culture, so they believe that financial support of people trying to protect minority languages is unjustified.
Nevertheless, I am completely sure that we can manage to save indigenous languages of Yamalia, for instance, by publishing special literature and explaining children that it is crucial to remember their roots, traditions and all the cultural heritage and knowledge that are passed on throughout each generation by language.
I would like to conclude with the words of a famous Canadian author and anthropologist Wade Davis: "A language is not just a body of vocabulary or a set of grammatical rules, it’s a flash of the human spirit. It’s a vehicle for which the soul of a culture comes through to the material world. Every language in some sense is an ecosystem of ideas, a watershed of thought, an old growth forest of the mind".
для обучающихся 8 - 11 классов
Take Care of Yamalia, and She Will Take Care of You
10 - 28 мая 2017 года
Уважаемые участники конкурса “Take Care of Yamalia and She Will Take Care of you”!
Оргкомитет конкурса приносит извинения за значительную задержку в подведении итогов конкурса, которая произошла по нескольким причинам, одна из которых – большое количество хороших работ, выполненных на довольно высоком уровне.
Места распределились следующим образом:
8-9 классы:
I место – Донцова Марина Александровна, 8А класс, МАОУ СОШ № 1 гор. Салехард
II место – Жданов Кирилл, 9 класс, МОУ ДО “Центр детского творчества”, г. Надым.
III место - Маландий Даниил Сергеевич, 9 класс, МБОУ СОШ № 12, г. Ноябрьск
и Сытник Татьяна Владимировна, 9Б класс МОУ КСОШ "Радуга", с. Красноселькуп.
10-11 классы:
I место – Сабирова Алина Ленаровна, 11А класс, МБОУ Гимназия, г. Новый Уренгой
II место – Человьян Вероника Денисовна, 11М класс, МБОУ “Многопрофильный лицей”, г. Муравленко.
III место - Ганноха Полина Максимовна, 10 класс, МБОУ “Многопрофильный лицей”, г. Муравленко и Даутова Евгения Салаватовна,10И класс, МБОУ “Многопрофильный лицей”, г. Муравленко
Поздравляем победителей конкурса!!!
Работы победителей конкурса
8-9 классы
We live on a beautiful land, which is called ‘Yamalia’ or ‘The End of the Land’. Maybe it is far from the civilization of big cities, but this land is full of wonders. Our land is rich in natural resources such as oil and gas, the biggest in our country. The wildlife is amazing for its variety and the ways of surviving in long cold winters. Looking at the beauty and the richness of our region, we shouldn’t forget how fragile it is. I am absolutely sure that we must create safe environment for next generations.
Right now, we have many rather serious problems. The main of them are water pollution, air pollution and land pollution.
Our region has lots of water in lakes and rivers. Unfortunately, many of them are not clean because they are polluted by toxic wastes from industrial plants, oil and gas production. They dump chemicals in water and make it unhealthy for people and wildlife.
Another problem is air pollution. It comes from burning oil-well gas, which is not used and makes the air dirty. Besides, air is polluted by industrial wastes and exhausted fumes, which come from vehicles.
Our region doesn’t have a very fertile soil but it has a rich plant and animal life. Tragically, there are some problems with the use of soil resources. As a result of heavy machinery, plants can’t grow on so many parts for a hundred years. Also, with the reduction of herding areas reindeer can hardly find reindeer moss and it effects the life of aboriginal people.
Many progressive people are worried about keeping Yamalia clean. Scientists from Russia and other countries study the damage and the ways to recover. Some universities work on special safe and environmentally friendly technologies for oil and gas industries.
Besides, there are volunteers who work on the Island Bely to clean it from pollution.
This is not enough. We must have special laws protecting our land. Companies destroying our home must be responsible for the damage they create and pay for it.
Surviving of Yamalia is in our hands. We all have to do something to protect our land. As for me, I can do it too. Firstly, I can plant some trees and take care of them. Secondly, I can turn off water and electricity if I don’t use them. I never throw litter other than into garbage bins. Together with my friends and classmates I can inform population about the ways how they should take care of our land.
In conclusion, I would like to say that today the ecological situation in our region is quite difficult. Fortunately, it’s not too late to take actions and save our fragile home land. If we do it, it will thank us by its beauty and lots of gifts: fresh rivers and lakes, full of fish, tundra with huge herds of reindeer, nothing to say about clean air for us to breathe, natural resources, mushrooms and berries. Future generations will be happy to live in this wonderful part of Russia called Yamalia.
“Nature provides us a free lunch, but only if we control our appetites”. William Ruckelshaus
The theme of ecology is one of the important problems not only for Yamalia, but for the entire globe. Man in the course of his activity mercilessly pollutes nature. Nowadays, most of humanity simply consumes the gifts of nature, destroying it. The development of world technical progress, the irrational use of natural resources of the earth led to global problems in the field of ecology.
In our region, hydrocarbons are mostly extracted. Oil and gas production doesn’t pass without a trace: reindeer herders suffer, unauthorized landfills grow, waterbodies are polluted. Ecology is discussed a lot nowadays, but do enterprises and ordinary people realize their charge for environmental conditions?
Water is the source of all living things, neither humans nor animals can do without it. As for me, I’m very much concerned about the lake in our town called Yantarnoye which is heavily polluted and needs protection. Our lake is the only one in Yamalia which is located within the town. The issue of organizing its cleaning is not solved for many years. Cleaning the reservoir is very expensive, the city authorities haven’t found money to solve this problem so far. However, this is a problem of great importance in our area. I believe, the townspeople would be happy to admire a picturesque well-kept pond in the town, we could go fishing there, so we must start putting it in order.
Besides, in my town after a long winter a lot of garbage accumulates, so I and my classmates usually participate in the action called " Subbotnik". This event deals with cleaning of the town from garbage. More than that, I take part in planting trees – the other action, when schoolchildren together with their parents, plant trees inside the town to reduce the impact of polluted air. This is a small contribution but it is significant. People living in ecologically clean areas have better health.
Another problem of our region is forest pollution. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen into the atmosphere and protect us from transport noise. Each plant species carries not only its potential genetic value, but, perhaps, vitally important medicines for us. The researchers found that during the stay in the forest immunity increases, including cancer, and stress is removed. Therefore, it is important to preserve a useful thread with nature.
But when we go to the forest to have a picnic, unfortunately, we can see dumps in places of people’s rest. Before having a picnic we clean up the area. It’s awful, because it damages and ruins ecosystem of wildlife. As a result, we can get natural disasters and incurable diseases in return.
Personally, I think it would be rational to include in schools and even in kindergartens environmental education: different activities, events, lessons about love for nature, its protection. People must be taught about responsibility for their behavior since childhood. Moreover, fabricators must be obligated to build factories for waste disposal.
Analyzing the above, it can be concluded that there are serious ecological problems in Yamalia, but if every person does a little for protecting his region, cares about the house in which he lives, then nature will give us fresh air, clean water, delicious and healthy food. “Take care of Yamalia and She will take care of you” means that careful attitude towards ecosystems provides us with healthy environment and other vital benefits. We’ll enjoy beautiful countryside, our life in this region will be longer and happier. We must love our planet, our region, not only by words. Thus, the whole world will become nicer.
Nowadays, there are a lot of problems in the Russian Federation which require an urgent decision. Among them are environmental ones. 2017 was declared by our President as the Year of Ecology. It is a timely step in attracting public attention to ecological security of Russia. Ecological problems have no borders. Yamalia is a part of our Motherland. It is a place of incredible beauty and enormous opportunities. It is my home where I feel safe and comfortable. Today environmental situation threatens to become dangerous and to ruin my nice home.
How can we make our home a better place? What can a person do to change the situation? It can seem like there is no way one person, especially a young person, can make a difference. But you CAN! Have you ever heard of the Bely Island? For Yamalia native peoples it is more than “an island”. It is a sacred place. For many years the Bely Island was an example of our careless attitude to the environment. There were tons of metal wastes from the Soviet past. The Island was called “The Island of dead cars”. Just imagine, the unique flora and fauna of this northern land was almost dead. Fortunately, the situation has changed. Over the last years groups of volunteers not only from Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug but all over Russia have taken part in clean-up expeditions to save the fragile nature of the Far North. They could save the Bely Island. The number of Polar bears is growing there.
To sum up, I believe it is easier to prevent something from happening than to repair the damage or cure the disease later. We are responsible for our interaction with the environment. To my mind, now is the time for action. You can save energy and water, produce less rubbish, use recyclable products and plant a tree. It is quite simple but effective. A person should think globally, act locally.
Сытник Татьяна, Красноселькуп
Nowadays the pollution of the environment is one of the most vital problems of the mankind. Lots of countries and areas suffer from it.
Yamal has not become an exception: because of the poor transportation a lot of faraway villages and settlements don’t have an opportunity to recycle the rubbish they produce. It is being buried in the landfills and dumps. Sometimes unauthorized dumps are being organized. Absolutely everything is being thrown away: household devices, garbage, waste clothes, paper and etc. Recently, the Tarko-Sale’s complex for sorting out the wastes has been closed. It recycled a lot of rubbish: metal, plastic, bottles and etc. And it helped to lower the number of dumps. Today there are 40 dumps, 2 complexes for sorting out the wastes and 2 complexes for recycling paper and cardboard in Yamal Area.
Besides, oil and gas production is also polluting the environment. People have a lot of needs, and satisfying them they often forget how fragile is the northern nature. The man could be compared with the Beast from Yuriy Afanasiev’s tale “ Nalim, the Flying Beast”. That Beast had ravenous appetite: when he felt thirsty, he drank out seven lakes and when he felt hungry, he ate seven deer herds. And if the Man hadn’t turned the Beast into the Fish, everything would have died.
To solve the ecological problems: we should start small. First of all, follow the 3R’s rule: reuse, recycle, reduce. Don’t throw away plastic containers - reuse them; turn off the light and electrical devices when you don’t use them – reduce consuming electricity… Put the waste batteries and lamps in special bins (now we have them in many areas). Secondly, don’t drop the litter but clear up parks and squares, school yards and the territories in front of you houses. And, finally, make your own little “Yamal planet” clean and beautiful!
10-11 классы
Mother planet is showing us the red warning light – ‘be careful’ – she is saying. To take care of the planet is to take care of our own house.
(The Dalai Lama)
We are part and parcel of the environment and our well-being depends on the well-being and healthiness of the world around us. Yamalia’s unique nature is indescribably beautiful and rich and it deserves being treated with due care and caution. Some people tend to believe that each individual can do a great deal to preserve it and we are powerful enough to make a positive change in this world, whereas others argue that little can be done by the average person and all the efforts need to take place on corporate and governmental scales.
When it comes to my opinion, I am convinced that each of us can actually take up some good habits which can prove useful in dealing with environmental issues of our district. Of course, some of these problems are not an easy task for individuals to deal with, nevertheless, there are numerous ways for the average person to make his or her daily routine more environmentally friendly. First and foremost, there are a lot of volunteers in our district who regularly organize some green actions which we can join, thus, contributing to the welfare of our homeland. For instance, in my native town of Novy Urengoy such actions are not a rare sight, annually my classmates and I, together with other activists, clean up the tundra and the banks of our three rivers- the Tamchara-Yaha, the Evo-Yaha and the Sede-Yaha. I am convinced that the activist is not the one who says the river is dirty, it is the one who cleans it up. In addition, it is common knowledge that Yamalians are great lovers of mushrooms and berries, gathering them is our favourite pastime. I do believe that it is of utter importance for us to learn and follow some general berry-picking and mushroom-picking rules so that we can save our natural riches. For example, you need to use a knife to cut a mushroom, so that its mycelium is not damaged. Last but not least, Yamalian towns are not very big, we do not need to cover long distances, therefore, we can drive less and walk more. The benefits are obvious: each time we keep away from using a car, we contribute to reducing air pollution, we consume less oil, preserving one of the most vital natural resources, we save money, not to mention that walking is a good form of exercise. These are very simple things and very simple habits that can make a huge difference in the long run.
However, some people are of the opinion that the burden of responsibility lies in the hands of those in power, claiming that only the Yamal government has the power and resources needed to properly defend the environment of our homeland. To start with, they are sure that only our local authorities and big corporations like Gazprom can set up laws that ban emissions of wastes from factories directly into the air or water. Moreover, the opponents are sure that ordinary citizens are completely unaware of the problems Yamalia faces and steps that can be undertaken by them in order to save our nature.
Personally, I would not agree with the above-mentioned view however convincing it may sound. First of all, it is the government’s primary task to raise public awareness, to inform us about the burning issues of our region that need to be solved together, to educate and encourage ordinary people to do the right things. In case it is done convincingly, Yamalians will not stay indifferent. I am absolutely sure that together we are able to find the right solution to practically any problem. Furthermore, we do not need any laws and regulations to try and become more environmentally conscious. I mean all of us can plant trees, collect litter, use public transport or try carpooling, etc. Numerous eco-activities that are implemented in our district prove that Yamalians are eco-friendly and concerned citizens.
The obvious conclusion to be drawn is that our Yamalia would surely be a better place to live if all of us choose to have an eco-conscious lifestyle. Although environmental problems can be tackled a lot quicker and more effectively with the cooperation of individuals and the government, nevertheless, it would be a great error if we, ordinary Yamalians, do nothing. I have no doubt that each of us has the opportunity to make a difference. The harder we try, the healthier our region will be. I do hope that my native land with its amazing people and abundant resources will continue to prosper and flourish in the years to come.
The town where I live is surrounded by very picturesque scenery. Our region is distinguished by restrained northern beauty of its nature, different from all other places. Each of us is an essential part of it. It may sound strange, but at the same time, we can pose a threat to it. And the saddest thing is that lots of people think that ordinary individuals cannot prevent from serious environmental problems.
I do not consider this belief to be true. If each of us makes an effort to protect the environment then we can change the situation for the better. I will try to explain what I mean taking our town as an example. Autumn and spring subbotniks have become traditional. As soon as snow melts, all volunteers go to the nearest parks and forests and clean up accumulated litter. Together they make the environment of our town cleaner. It should be mentioned that environmental questions are being discussed on all levels of the government. The governor of our region D.N. Kobylkin said that protection of nature in Yamal is a vital priority. A lot is done in this field: state nature reserves are created, water resources are restored, rare species of animals and plants are protected. I would like to note that in our school the events dedicated to the study of the ecosystem and protection of environment of our region are popularized too. In this year of Ecology a new tradition has appeared in our school, each class, after passing final exams, plant trees on the school yard, leaving the memory and helping to restore vulnerable beauty of our scenery.
But this idea is not shared by everyone, many think that they are helpless to face the problems and to fight pollution in enormous scale. People seem to get used to leave huge amount of garbage after weekends spent in the forest. They think that some plastic tableware or other household rubbish will not do much harm because there are so much garbage around left by others. It is even more difficult to solve problems of industrial waste. There is no secret that oil refineries can throw waste into nearby rivers and lakes. And people consider it impossible to cope with such pollution with their own efforts.
People have been thinking about environmental problems for quite a long time. The problem of ecology is getting more and more vital. Yamal is amazing in its uniqueness, but like any other territory, it is endangered by industries as well as individuals. Some people think that a typical person is not able to protect the nature of Yamalia, while others think differently.
In my opinion, if everybody starts caring about the place he lives in, the nature of Yamalia can be saved. First of all, people do not protect natural resources as well as they could. For example, there are pre-tundra forests which weaken the strength of the wind and protect the soil, but there is no proper level of protection from our side, because these forests are cut down. I think the solution might be to design special programmes to protect them from logging. Secondly, some Yamal industrial enterprises pollute water. There is evidence that companies such as housing and communal services dump sewage into rivers which is detrimental to nature. Finally, in large areas of Yamal the soil is polluted and destroyed. For example, people overload reindeer pastures that affect soil quality.
On the other hand, some people claim that no one can change this state of affairs. They say that people can not help to defend nature, because they do not have an ability to influence the situation. Besides, they did not try to do it dozens of years earlier being lazy and motiveless.
I am afraid I cannot agree with these people here as I think that all environmental problems come from us and it is us who can solve them. I think we could write a legal document stating that some companies pollute nature, for example. Or if we talk about the air pollution, the part of this problem lies in our automobiles and it is our decision to replace them with electric ones or not.
To sum it all up, as you see the issue has two sides and is a complicated one. As for me, I still feel that people can really help to save our amazing Yamal nature if they start right now.
Дутова Евгения, Муравленко
It is no longer a secret for us that nature needs environmental protection from Man. After all, Man cannot exist separately from nature and nature from Man. Environmental pollution in its many forms, ozone holes, acid rains lead to irreversible consequences. Our home – Yamalia suffers from Man’s activity too. And if we do not start doing something to stop this process, the consequences can become terrible. Though there are those who do not believe in Man’s powers and say that ordinary people are not able to help the nature of Yamalia.
I do not agree with this statement because every person living on the peninsula can do something in favour of environment. Firstly, one should start leaving the place clean after oneself. It is such a trifle but it works. Just imagine how many places would be clean if Man stopped littering in our forests. Another simple but effective way is to organize and participate in various official events like subbotniks, cleaning actions when a great number of people are able to clean a large area in the town or in tundra. A good example of it is an annual auction “Green Ribbon” held in our school. On that day all senior school students go to the nearest forest and clean it from litter. One more possible way to help our environment is to use natural materials at home instead of polyethylene and synthetics. Doing that we can stop polluting soil and atmosphere. By the way, natural materials favorably affect a person.
But pessimists consider this idea a failure and extra expense of money, because products made of polyethylene and synthetics are practical, cheap and easy to make our life more convenient. Besides, people are busy at work much of their time, therefore, they do not have enough time for participating in different actions.
In my opinion, these arguments are not convincing. If one is ready to change something in existing reality, he/she will always find time and ways to do it. Man can easily find substitutes to replace materials for more environmentally friendly ones, which would do no harm to the environment. And as for environmental events, I do not think it is so difficult to highlight one day a month and spend it clearing the nearby countryside or town areas from garbage and litter. Moreover, you will gain much from it, spending that day in the company of your friends and making new acquaintances, enjoying fresh air and physical activity instead of stuffy rooms and computer monitors. But what is more important is that you will get moral satisfaction that cannot be compared with other feelings.
Thus, we have come to the conclusion that protection of nature is a very vital question of the day. But who, if not we, ordinary inhabitants of megapolises, towns, villages will do it? We all hope that someone else will solve the problem, for example, the local authorities or cleaning companies, but I strongly believe that we must first start with ourselves and make environmental behavior a norm of life for everybody regardless the age. Only then people will have a real chance to keep the beauty of Yamalia for generations.
The Great War: How It Changed My Family, My Country and the World
May 2015
We would like to announce the results of the essay contest dedicated to the 70th Anniversary of the Great Victory over the Fascist Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941 - 1945. We have received 70 (!) essays for the contest, a significant number for the Anniversary. Twelve jury experts from different towns of the okrug have chosen 6 best works.
8-9 Forms Students
1st Prize - Anita Uzunalova, Novy Urengoy
2nd Prize - Tamara Golubeva, Salekhard
3rd Prize - Valeria Khokhlyutina, Muravlenko
10-11 Forms Students
1st Prize - Anastasia Kurysheva, Noyabrsk
2nd Prize - Yulia Sidorova, Muravlenko
3rd Prize - Filipp Lobanov, Novy Urengoy
We congratulate all the winners and would like to heartily thank all the participants of the contest once again.
All the participants will get certificates of participation (you will be able download the e-certificates as soon as they are ready and uploaded to a file share service, you will be notified of that). The prize-winners will get their diplomas and prizes via postal services.
Работы победителей конкурса
8-9 классы
If I had rubies and riches and crowns
I'd buy the whole world and change things around
I'd throw all the guns and the tanks in the sea
For they are mistakes of a past history
BOB DYLAN
War, war, war… I don’t really know much about war. How can I? I’ve never seen the people burning alive inside the fire. I’ve never seen the rivers of blood. I’ve never been in the center of a battlefield. I’ve never been starving for about 2,4 years and I’ve never eaten cats, dogs and people. But I have to admit the war literally changed my family…
My great-grandfathers were so very young to die. Shame they did. One of them disappeared. I can’t even imagine my relatives’ feelings... He went and then disappeared like a breath on a mirror. Another one was a partisan. He was killed, delivering the food for his comrades. Is it humane? They could have had families. They could have had children. They could. They didn’t… What is left? Only memories. One of my relatives also fought for our homeland. Fortunately, he returned. Unfortunately, he is an invalid and no longer alive. After returning, his life was broken. Neither medals nor orders can compensate the losses. He suffered very badly. For what? In my opinion, war is never worth the consequences. I always hear that we were fighting for peace. However, it was said:” War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.” That is why even now our peace is very unstable. During The Great War, my country underwent lots of difficulties, such as: The Siege of Leningrad, The Siege of Sevastopol and The Battle of Stalingrad. The Soviet people showed endlessly huge courage. Could you give your life for the peace you would never live in anymore? They could. Our independent lives could have been conquered unless the thousands of deaths which laid out our way to the new era where every life is important. That’s how war has changed my country. Even though people all over the world change and distort history, the strength of Russia is worldwide. The Soviet people’s sacrifice will never be forgotten. On the other hand, it’s really necessary to learn from past mistakes. Our peace is very fragile. It may be gone in a moment, so that we should maintain it as much as possible. We should endure and support each other, be tolerant. Nowadays we try to solve the problems by speaking and actions, not the struggling. That’s how the world has changed. I wish the anniversary of the great victory would unite all the countries, in spite of the tense situation in the world. It will remind us the cruelty of the war and the significance of the peace.
War, war, war… I don’t really know much about it. And I don’t want to…
A war… This is a very scary word, how terrible it is that we often hear it. People die in order to defend their homeland, their Fatherland. The War of 1941-1945 took many lives of people, brought a lot of grief and sufferings. Everybody from the young to the old fought in that war.The Nazis did not spare anyone: children, women or the elderly.
This year the country is celebrating the 70-th anniversary of the Victory over fascism. With great sorrow and pride we remember all those who have defended our country. We are proud of those who defended us, without fear of anything in their path. By their life our great-grandfathers defended their homeland, children, the elderly, women. Every time they went into battle, the soldiers remembered their dearest, and that gave them strength. They knew that they could not retreat, it was necessary to fight and return home alive.
I was born in a happy, peaceful time, but I have heard a lot about the war, because the grief and trouble were in our family, too. I know about my great-grandfather Ivan from the stories of my grandfather, who cherishes Ivan’s order book and relics of the front-line. I would like to tell you about my great-grandfather- Moshkin Ivan Vasilyevich. He went to the front from the start of the war in 1941. My great-grandfather went through the war. He fought in Stalingrad and near Moscow. In one of the battles Ivan was severely wounded, and he miraculously survived. Coming home from the front, he was tortured for a long time by his healing wounds.
He recalled how he had fought, told his children and grandchildren about the wartime. Sometimes he became silent, and his eyes were full of tears… But he continued his story. Many years later after the war, the pieces of the mine, which remained in Ivan’ body started to trouble him. A few fragments left in his body caused severe pain…
Grandpa Ivan was awarded a number of medals and awards: "Order of the Red Star", "For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945".
A poem was written about Ivan, it has found its place in the collection of poetry of Salekhard’s poets:
Moshkin Ivan Vasilyevich
The whole country is one problem ...
Radio broadcasts - War!
From the villages, towns, villages,
Men went to expel the enemy.
Like thousands of other men,
A Russian son, and citizen
from the village Halmer-Sede,
Stepped on a meeting of the war ...
Here is the terrible 1941! Nabat hit!
And to the front Vanya left to fight,
His family and homeland to save.
Ivan fought bravely,
And at the Leningrad front
before the formation
the Commander announced:
the Motherland rewarded him for his deed:
Ivan-the- Winner in the days of war
was awarded by the Order of the Star!
I am proud of my great-grandfather. He was courageous, strong and brave!
We are further and further away from the war period… But time has no power over what people went through in the war. It was a very difficult time. A Soviet soldier looked into the eyes of mortal danger. Because of his will, his blood the victory over a strong enemy was gained. The greatness of his deed in the name of the country has no boundaries, as well as there are no boundaries for greatness of labor heroism of the Soviet people!
War... Different people have different associations. Injured people, ruined and burnt cities. Orphans and widowed women, homesick soldiers, victory, bravery, a high sense of duty and a great sense of patriotism. Russian people have always been considered very dedicated to their country. Their allegiance to the country has been based on respect for its principles. The Great Patriotic War influenced everything: from people to the whole world.
To start with, my great grandfather was a soldier in the war, he, like thousands of other soldiers, made this glorious victory. My grandmother, being an early teenager, worked on a plant with dozens of her peers. It's hard to believe that children worked for hours doing manual labor. There were lack of food, lack of warm clothes, lack of medicine, lack of almost everything, people withstood though. The war, definitely, made people different: they became more appreciative of peace, each other, people’s relationship as well as their powerful Motherland.
Secondly, the whole Soviet Union changed. The country weakened because of the five-year opposition, it lost its sons, leaving children without fathers. The level of crimes increased. However, there was a positive aspect as well – Soviet people realized that their country had become extremely powerful by its main resource - people who brought the victory not only to the Soviet Union, but also to other countries.
The Soviet Army and its allies rescued many Europeans countries from fascism such as Poland, Hungary, Romania, Germany and many others. What’s more, the great unity of the peoples of the Soviet Union in the war won the admiration of the entire world. The country demonstrated its power to the whole world, changing it by its stunning victory but for the great cost.
Much has been said on this theme but each year a great gratefulness is demonstrated to people who battled fascist forces for nearly five years. The memory of the war is particularly venerated in Russia. The Great Patriotic War affected millions of people, dozens of countries and the entire world.
10-11 классы
On the 9th of May 1945 the Great War ended. On the eve of the70th anniversary of Great Victory the world has been divided into two parts. Some of the people say the positive changes are obvious, the others doubt of the impact of this war on the world, neglect the obvious values and try to revise the history of the war. I am on the side of those who support the great changes and the meaningful role of the victory for each of us and for the world.
Firstly, more than twenty million of Soviet people died in this war. It means millions of families lost their relatives and faced extreme difficulties and shortcomings in their life. Fortunately, our grandfather, who had been fighting for four years until he was wounded, came back. But he lost his feet and it has left an imprint on his life and the life of our family. The war changed him. He doesn't speak about those one hundred battles he took part in but he forgot nothing, I know. The war changed the life of our family too. We became closer and friendly to each other. And our grandfather taught us to overcome difficulties, to achieve aims and to live a happy life. They say, the soldiers coming back from the war have another views and values. We share and follow these values: his honesty, patriotism, a spiritual depth – they feed something deep within us. I feel tremendous gratitude to him and to those ones who didn't come back for the extraordinary contribution they made to our lives.
Secondly, the World War II changed the life and soul of the Russian people forever. It was the period of raising our economy, developing the cultural level of ordinary people, it gave birth to new achievements in different spheres of life. Russia meant great music, poetry, literature, ballet and sport, the first spaceflight, protection and personal care of the aged, preserving the heritage of all national identities, protection of historical threads for all the world. We came through the period of Cold War and the devastating crisis in the 90s due to our capacity for endurance and revival. I am sure, we must preserve our human values because a nation pays a tragic price when basic human values are eroded, as we see now in the Ukraine.
Thirdly, each war ends with peace. It meant freedom and peaceful co-existence, improving the political climate in Europe and in the world, the expansion of trade and international cooperation in different spheres of life, wider cultural contacts and consolidation of peace round the world. But time flies and people seem to have forgotten something important in their life, they begin to revise their values, ideas, attitudes and relations. The events in Europe, the revival of fascism have become the epicenter of the events of world importance of the 21st century. Now we try to avoid negative stereotypes of Russia.
In conclusion I’d like to say, we have a deep commitment to the history and radical changes after the Great victory in which we were involved. We are moving into rapid social and political changes nowadays and we should be wise and do everything to avoid the pitfalls that challenge the society and the world. We should choose the positive actions to make the world a safer, a kinder, more equitable place for the future generations to inherit. Certainly, we should remember – “there is no future without past” and appreciate this past.
The Great Patriotic War is the greatest horror of modern history, the greatest grief for the Russian people. One event, four years, millions of killings and ruined lives…
The beginning of summer, proms at schools, plans for the future, a typical early morning foreshadowed nothing…but soon all those pictures of peaceful life of the big country were substituted by Bloodmar streets, the sounds of machine-gun fire, the explosions of live ammunition and a child’s wailing, trying desperately to find his family. The story remained unchanged in our hearts. It is transmitted from generation to generation, radically changing the descendants’ lives of those who knew the war firsthand.
As a child I was told a lot of stories by my great grandmother about her youth, about what the world had been before I was born. Her stories were listened with bated breath, but having grown up, I realized that the monster of her stories was real, and its name is War… Today, remembering those stories and comparing them with the books I have read and the films I have seen about the war, I understand that they helped me become what I am now. They taught me to appreciate life, every minute of our existence. They helped me realize that every moment might turn out to be the last one. That is exactly what people think, who understand what War is. That is exactly what my great grandmother thought.
Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote "War is not an act of bravery. War is a disease. Like typhoid." Indeed, the Great Patriotic War is a disease that struck the world of one hundred and ninety-four million Soviet people in 1941. Its symptoms are still being felt, reflecting in the eyes of contemporaries. Its consequences are simple and clear, the war has changed everything. We still remember the heroism of those thanks to whom we enjoy life. And every new daybreak, every new sunbeam should be considered as the sacrifice to the bloodmar streets and to the child’s cry who didn’t find his family.
However, we should admit the fact that people have started to forget the price of Great Victory over fascism. Nowadays some pseudohistorians are writing new history, trying to belittle the significance of the Great Patriotic War. What is more, that new interpretation of well known historical facts and events is being imposed in schools of some former republics of our country. This is an alarming trend and all sane people should not stay indifferent. As a teenager living 70 years after the greatest Victory, I can be sure of one thing – I will never change my opinion, which has been formed by my great grandmother’s stories, books, films, our History lessons… No one should forget the truth, otherwise History will become meaningless.
Dear descendants!
I am writing this letter to you from the very front. Frightful battles are taking place all around. If you could know what horror we have to face up with here, if you could know the price we pay for the victory, if only you could know…
I am writing these lines from Bobruisk, Belorussia. It is the year 1944, and we have almost set the lands of our great Motherland free from accursed nazis. However, we still struggle to the death every single day. I am grateful to my parents for having taught me reading and writing, otherwise, I would not be able to manage this letter.
Like millions of Soviet families, ours has faced up with this bloody tragedy as well. There were seven of us – three brothers, two sisters and our parents. We were all living happily and peacefully when the war broke out and found us absolutely unprepared. My elder brother perished in the battle of Moscow, near Mozhaisk. My youngest brother was burnt down alive in his tank near Prokhorovka. The elder sister was murdered by occupants in Kaluga – she was a sister of mercy there. The youngest sister must be somewhere near Moscow now, I do hope she is alive. Our house was destroyed by the bombardment in 1942. Our parents were there, too…
There is no single family in our country which has not suffered great losses in this damned war, the war which has ruined millions of innocent lives! I do beg you, my dear descendants, please, do not make our mistakes again! I appeal to each and every of you who loves the planet he lives on, who is not indifferent to its future.
No one needs a war! No one! Self-interest, greed and lust for power are the only causes of it. I do believe that LIFE is not only challenging but also precious! I do believe that LIFE is miraculous, that is why we should protect its miracle which is in each of us.
It is so hard to realize that only after such a monstrous war the humanity will come to its senses. However, let me express the hope that it is the last global war in the history of humankind.
May God bless you!
P.S.
The author of the letter perished in Berlin on 24th of April, 1945
Региональный конкурс тестовых материалов по регионоведению Ямала для преподавателей английского языка
2015
1st Prize - Irina Rusina, Noyabrsk
2nd Prize - Alevtina Andreyeva, Salyemal
3rd Prize - Larisa Makhmutova, Yar-Salye
We congratulate all the winners and would like to heartily thank all the participants of the contest once again.
East or West - Yamalia Is Best
2014
At last we are ready to announce the final results of the essay contest for students which was entitled as 'East or West – Yamalia is Best'. First of all we present our apologies for having made you wait for the results for such a long time. There was a bunch of reasons why we could not meet the set deadline (as a joke says the deadline in Russia is not a line that you cross but a line that you go along). That is a joke of course.
Thirty-eight students from 7 Yamalia towns have taken part in the contest and it was really difficult for the jury to decide on the best compositions. In spite of the fact that it was so hard to make our final statement, we are happy to announce the winners’ names
FORMS 8 – 9
1st prize – Anastasia Cherkasova, Novy Urengoy
2nd prize – Yelizaveta Kuznetsova, Gubkinsky
3rd prize – Anita Uzunalova, Novy Urengoy
FORMS 10 – 11
1st prize – Maria Kitsova, Novy Urengoy
2nd prize – Yulia Sidorova, Muravlenko
3rd prize – Daria Krotenko, Novy Urengoy
We have also decided to award a special prize to a five-former from Novy Urengoy, Xenia Zakharchenko, who was willing to take part in the competition so much. And really, her essay was one of the best in the category ‘8 – 9 Forms’. But as the conditions and the rules of the contest do not presuppose such young students’ participation, the Association Board has made a decision to present Xenia with a special prize.
Работы победителей конкурса
8-9 классы
Today I have a golden opportunity to take you to a journey, the journey to my homeland, Yamalia, the land of hardworking people and endless ices, the northern lights and the white nights. I will take you to Fairy Land. You are going to see our four fairies- Fairy Winter, Fairy Spring, Fairy Summer and Fairy Autumn. Let us get acquainted with the first sister – Fairy Winter. She is the eldest, so she rules the longest period of time. It is Fairy Winter who is in charge of icy winds and heavy snowfalls, fluffy snowflakes and silver frost. She is the queen of skating- rinks and snow slides. Here, in Yamalia, Fairy Winter’s time lasts from November to March, she takes her time, she is never in a hurry. Finally, she does get tired and gives way to the second sister. Fairy Spring is very shy. Even if she looks forward to reigning over Yamalia, she waits patiently for her turn. She is a little bit afraid of her elder sister, that is why she never hastens Fairy Winter to leave. Everyone is eager to welcome this young lady, eager to have a second breath after long winter days. It seems that Nature awakens. Days are becoming longer and longer, the sun is doing its best to give us as many warm rays as possible. Yamalians have missed the sun greatly, they simply enjoy themselves! Some exciting local holidays take place in this amazing season, Festival of the Northern Peoples is one of them. What is that grey buzzing cloud over there? Ouch! Somebody has bitten me on my neck and arms! Oh, I have completely forgotten to warn you about these intrusive creatures- small northern mosquitoes. They are a sign that Fairy Summer has reached my Yamalia- the queen of incredible white nights and enjoyable picnics! I wish she could stay with us longer, but, unfortunately, Fairy Summer is given such a short time to rule by her strict elder sister. Moreover, their youngest sister is waiting for her turn. Good bye, Fairy Summer! Sometimes Fairy Autumn is so impatient that she cannot even wait for the end of August and comes unexpectedly some two or three weeks earlier. But we will forgive this pretty woman for her early invasion, won’t we? She is stunning! The queen of golden leaves, soft reindeer moss, delicious mushrooms and indescribably beautiful juicy berries. But it is not only Yamalian nature that I am proud of. First and foremost, I am proud of people, living on the edge of the earth and doing their best to glorify their homeland. But this is the theme of our next journey.
Hey Tommy, what are you doing? Why are you digging? - A four year old boy approached the hole and peered inside.
Hi Mike, do you want to help me? I've watched a TV programme... Have you ever thought what is there? - The boy pointed at the hole and continued speaking, on the opposite side of the earth?
- I know for sure that there are also people. But I still do not understand why you need this hole? Mike was standing on the edge of it, looking at the bottom – Are you looking for a treasure?
-N-o-o-o . I'm going to reach the other side of the earth. I want to go to Russia and see a real winter. I dig the tunnel and it 'll get there. Tom, was obviously satisfied with his idea and looked at Mike. - I'm sure there are so many interesting things there...
20 years later
Hi Michael,
I haven’t written for a long time. Lots of work to do. For the previous year I have traveled a lot, but I have never been to Russia yet. And now I am here. I did not stop in Moscow and drove on. I am in Yamal. Now I know that “Yamal” can be translated as “the end of the earth”? The weather here is very frosty. But what a beautiful winter! I can’t find words to describe it, I m like in a fairytale. Everything around is absolutely white and shimmers in the sun, that makes you squint. I will send you some photos. Yesterday, when I was doing a photo report, luckily I met a local man. I thought that he was lost. Fortunately he also spoke English, a researcher or a scientist, I don’t remember exactly. His name is Kuchum. The man told me a lot about the local peoples. Hunts, they live in such a strange dwellings, which are similar to Indian homes. Only they are more insulated by reindeer leather. Speaking of deer, then say: " Deer carries, provides food and clothes." And the truth is that they make outwear clothes from deer and women decorate them fully. They eat reindeer meat, a lot of fish and forest herbs. I’d like to say some words the people’s appearance. They are short, about 160cm tall, they have straight soft brown hair. They do woodcarvings. Kuchum showed me his collection of artifacts. He gave me one, so he gave me a real shaman's drum! The more I listened to him, the more I wanted to stay there. I have not had time to learn everything! And perhaps I will stay here for a week.
And now I have to go, I will go to see the local Holiday of reindeer herder. I already have some idea to whom it is dedicated. I’ll tell you about this holiday next time.
My best wishes,
Tom.
Yamalia is a special place, isn’t it? People, who don’t live here, have a dim idea about it. For them it is an eternally cold desert with snowy mountains, glaciers and icebergs, raw-hide tents, where people live in fur from top to toe with domestic animals. As a local inhabitant I will tell you the truth to ruin this horrible picture. First of all, Yamalia has a changeable climate. Of course, winter is freezing cold with low temperatures far below zero, falling to fifty, strong winds, blowing you away, and harsh frosts, but summer can be so hot that all the townspeople lie on the beach, sunbathe and swim in the river (it becomes more visited than the Black Sea!). Secondly, locals aren’t cavemen; they are up-to-date in all spheres. Children go to school, do a lot of work, have a good education, they aren’t foolish at all! Due to the fact that their parents have well-paid jobs because of having the biggest gas company in the world, most of children have an opportunity to travel. In addition, my school was visited by Japanese and German delegations, so Yamalia is of interest to other countries and has got an International recognition. If you ask someone abroad about Russia, everybody will tell you about the largest gas and oil companies, which are in Yamalia, so my motherland is rather famous. In conclusion, I would like to say that people here are proud of Yamalia, in spite of witless conversations about it; they live and develop their motherland. Yamalia is a country of opportunities and possibilities; it gives a wide scope for self-realization and life without any worries.
Great Britain,
London, 48 Regent St,
For Harry Black
Dear Harry,
My name is Ksenia Zakharchenko. I am eleven years old. I am from Yamal, Novy Urengoy. My town is very valuable as it is the gaz capital of Russia. My parents work in a famous gaz extracting organization «Gazprom Dobycha Urengoy».
Our nature is different from yours. We live in the Extreme North, near the Polar circle. Winters here are very severe and really frosty. We often skip school because of the severe north weather. If you go far in tundra on a frosty winter night you can see a very beautiful and rare nature phenomenon which we call polar lights. It is a great show. Green-blue-purple light fall on an endless snowy area. But unfortunately, we have extremely short summers. All parents try and send their children to warmer parts of our country to protect them from mosquitoes and midges that are really big here. Tundra in Yamalia is especially beautiful in the fall! Its fiery-red colours can make you feel blind. It is hard to imagine how may kinds of berries we have here in tundra: blueberry and bilberry, cowberry and cranberries, raspberry and cloudberry. And one-day time for picking mushrooms comes. It’s difficult to imagine how many mushrooms grow here ceps and aspen, boletus, maslyata and milk mushrooms.
As for holidays, my favorite holiday is the Holiday of the Peoples of the North. Many native peoples from all Yamalia come to this holiday. Nameless lake transforms for two days. Everywhere there are chums covered with deerskins inside which we can see the way of living of native peoples and feel their every day life. During this holiday the greatest fun for our children is riding in reindeer sledges. Northern reindeer run so fast that sometimes it seems such rides can take your breath away. Not a single person of our town is left without a picture with a deer or with a small child in kisi and malicha. Here you can buy national handmade souvenirs. As for adults, they think it is their duty to buy all the thing possible and they will never leave trade fairs without attention. No wonder, here you can find the abundance of fresh fish, muksun and nellma, ryapushka and pyzhyan. Here you can also find Yamal delicacies: ryapushka caviar and reindeer heart, for example. This day, a traditional dish on the table in my family is small pieces of raw fish which we call stroganina from muksun. Of course, to the opinion of the civilized man eating raw frozen fish is just horrible! When I first tried it, I experienced the same feelings. But I love smoked muksun and canned meat of reindeer.
As far as you understood, animal world of my homeland is very different from yours and really unique. And although bears and wolves do not roam the streets, they can be found deep in the woods. When we ski in the park very often we meet squirrels and feed them with nuts. There are lots of arctic foxes and hares here. From time to time white partridge fly into my yard. Do you know that the arctic owl is the emblem of my hometown.
Of course, I would love to visit London and see Big Ben, Kings Cross, London eye, Tower and Buckingham Palace one day. But I want you to visit my Yamalia in return and see everything with your own eyes.
P.S. And though my name Ksenia is translated from Latin as «a stranger» and I love to travel, but most of all I love my Yamal, my hometown Novy Urengoy.
Yours sincerely,
Ksenia
10-11 классы
Where we love is home - home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts.
(Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.)
You are walking through the autumn tundra. It explodes with colour, as if Mother Nature herself has painted everything around you into all shades of red, yellow, orange and brown. What is that strange sound? You stop for a while, listen carefully, and smile, relieved, because you realize that it’s the Bewick’s swan! Indeed, its loud calls sound like a girl’s laughter! You wish you had a camera with you to get these great nature shots. You continue your wonderful walk. Dwarf birches look like golden bonfires flapping in the wind. Then you catch sight of a small aspen and decide to come closer. Hardly have you touched its trunk when tiny golden leaves start falling down from it. Amazed, you slowly raise your head to the sky. It’s so blue and clear that you gasp in admiration. You might think that you are just having an amazing dream. Maybe, in some way… But this dream is bound to come true if you ever come to my native land. It is indescribably beautiful, rich and immense. It is called Yamalia, but I am lucky to call it my homeland.
A long time ago my grandparents moved to the north. My parents grew up here, met each other, fell in love and here I am, a girl from Novy Urengoy, writing these lines, filled with pride and admiration. It’s here, in Yamalia that I have become a person that I am now and realized what I am living for, what I want to achieve in my life. My homeland is my reflection. It is an inseparable part of me.
In my opinion, it is the outstanding men of past and present who we should be grateful to. If you walk through the streets of my town, you will come across many of their names, which can be seen on the monuments, memorial plaques, names of bus stops and streets.
I am extremely proud of the traditions of my homeland and we do our best to carefully keep them up. For instance, in Yamalia we have our local holiday called the National Festival of the Native Northern Peoples.
One more important fact should be pointed out: nowadays it is possible for every schoolchild in my hometown to choose a career connected with gas production industries due to the new educational project ”Gazprom-classes”. It is a joint initiative of several Gazprom enterprises and Novy Urengoy’s Department of Education. The project is mainly aimed at training the future candidate pool for Gazprom’s subsidiary companies. This means that the young generation is willing to follow in their parents’ footsteps and work for the sake of our homeland. Our parents and grandparents can be sure that the future of Yamalia is our reliable hands.
Despite the fact that we live on the edge of the earth, our region supplies the whole world with gas and oil. Our abundant resources are beyond other countries’ wildest dreams.
One must admit that the climate in Yamalia is far from being moderate. Our short cool summers and long severe winters are the reason why many dwellers prefer spending their holidays abroad and I am not an exception. I’ve been to many places: experienced all the hustle and bustle of New York, hit the shops of Oxford Street and plunged into the romantic mood of Paris. Yes, things do get into full swing around there, but I strongly believe that it's not the size of the place where you live that matters, but the way you feel about it. Whatever country I visit, wherever fate lands me, I always remember where I am from, and what it means to me. I look forward to the day of return, the day my feet take me back to where my heart has been that whole time. It has been, it is and it will always stay in my Yamalia!
Cold, blizzards and frost... Endless northern spaces lying in the ends of the Earth. Igor Kornilov in his song "Yamalia" encourages people to come to the north, to the land of harsh snowy beauty. What does Yamalia Peninsula attract with? Why do people coming here for six months stay forever? Why do you start calling this harsh land your home with time? And what is attractive in those eternal blizzards and snowstorms? Yamalia is the land of untouched nature where flora and fauna are closely intertwisted with the traditions of the indigenous peoples. This is one of the few places where people can feel the unity with nature. Strict outlines of buildings are occasionally lightened with northern lights, as if to remind people where they are. Mystical, unpredictable and incredibly beautiful phenomenon. Despite the fact that it can be seen and admired in many countries, it is namely Yamalia that is considered to be the most convenient place for that. People living in the north have that opportunity to witness the aurora at its best. Religion and mysticism are other reasons to visit Yamalia. From time immemorial northern people have believed in gods living in heaven and controlling all the existence. Today the faith has weakened, but we are still read stories about creatures from another world, called Num and Nga. The faith of Yamalia indigenous peoples is truly amazing. But Yamalia is not just mystical, cold land...Summer comes here too. May is the time of birth of fawns. Tundra tries on its annual green grab. The birds are back home, and their cackling fill the countryside. In summer tundra is no less beautiful. Deer bask in the green grass and forests are covered with berries, as if someone has scattered milliards of emeralds and rubies. Yamalia scenary is beautiful in all seasons. Fairy-tale inhabits these places. Yamalia will always attract people. Everybody will find something of his own. Once found oneself in this place, it is impossible to stay indifferent... We came for a short while, but stayed forever. It is as if Yamalia took us by the hand and didn't let us go. And we will always be pursued by the thought "East or West, Yamalia is Best"
It is the land - the land of dreams and romance - beckons the ships of our souls[1]... These are the words of the song, known to every inhabitant of Yamalia - one of the most northern parts of Russia, where winter is practically all the year round (about 9 months), and the sky is so low that if you stretch your hand you seem to be able to touch it. This is the land of contrasts with polar nights, which gradually get off to the land at 3 pm, in the winter and midnight sun in the summer.
Yes, all this is my Yamalia, my little homeland, the land where I was born and have been living for 17 years. This is the place where I made the first steps, made my first discoveries, made the very first friends, went to school ... First victories and first disappointments are connected with this land ... Yamalia is a huge part of my life. Would I ever be able to forget it? No, never!
But Yamalia is able to settle in the hearts of people, who were born far beyond its borders and who came here only by chance. I know many people who came here once and decided to stay… Forever.
What can attract people in such a harsh land? Why will not everyone, who has been here, be able to leave?
Everyone has his own answer...
The beautiful nature can be one of the possible reasons. It is said that nothing can be compared with the Yamalia tundra. Maybe that's why many people choose to escape to nature or to the forest in summer or autumn (which is the right time) to have a rest from a hectic pace of city life, to gather mushrooms and berries, which these places are rich in. Just to breathe in the freshness of the autumn forest, to enjoy the view of green fir and spruce trees in the background of falling leaves from dwarf birches. All shades of yellow and red – this is the palette of the autumn forest ... With brown pileus, red cranberries and blueberries as a pleasant surprise.
In good weather, you can enjoy the clouds running across the sky. It seems that such entertainment is available to any citizen of the Earth, but I must assure you that such clouds are nowhere but in Yamalia.
Or maybe it's a natural phenomenon. Where else can you see the dark night sky illuminated by the emerald glow of the aurora borealis? And what about two or even three rainbows?
The weather surprises are also frequent. There can be snow in July or pussy-willow in the middle of February ... Personally for me, nature has twice presented the most valuable birthday gift - the first snow. Just imagine yesterday there was slush, mud and other related elements of autumn in Yamalia everywhere, and the next morning you go out on the porch and immerse in a real fairy tale, breathe in the fresh cold air and make the first steps in the fresh snow. This feeling cannot be compared with anything else... And is it really worth comparing?
But most importantly: Yamalia is a real school of life. I am sure that people who had lived here for at least a few years are different from those who did not have such experience.
Firstly, Yamalia means a harsh environment. These are winters, where the average temperature is below -30 ° C. Any person to whom I say that at -38 ° C we go to school and -25 ° C and -30 ° C is suitable weather for walking, says that either I'm crazy or joking. Yes, it's hard to believe for a person who has not lived here.
What do you think about the temperature drops? And not by 5-7 degrees but by 15-20 degrees? You can say it is impossible. I will answer it is the harsh reality of Yamalia.
But getting used to this paradox is simple. And it is impossible for many people to lose this skill of "normal functioning" in extreme conditions, and, moreover, it would be extremely useful if you move to a warmer place where people can enjoy the winter with "the frost of -20 ° C".
What can we say about the summer? Any summer, as northern weather often deprives us of such a pleasure ... Well, "northern" people are less fussy about weather conditions, and thus are more positive. In fact, no natural incidents will be able to surprise them or especially upset. And is it bad?
What else distinguishes the man of the north? I think it's a goodwill, willingness to help an unknown person or even a stranger. This is not surprising. Here people are thousands of miles from their home, and it makes them getting to know the people around - meet and make friends with their neighbors, talk to a stranger on a bus or taxi, to congratulate others on a holiday... Yamalia often gives the impression that its residents are the members of one big family. At least it used to until recently.
In recent years, the northern cities have begun to grow, and the friendly atmosphere that has existed for more than 20-30 years, is beginning to crumble. Yes, Yamalia is no longer the same... But everything is not lost yet, and we are able to rectify the situation.
Why am I telling you all this? Probably, in order to show that Yamalia is an original, unique and inimitable edge. Yamalia is my homeland. And no matter what happens, to what distance my fate will take me from it, this land, where "girls have snowflakes on their eyelashes and good shining faces"[2], will always have a place in my heart. And I'm sure that not only for me, because "we are forever wedded with this region"[1] and this "love is as eternal as frost..."[1]