The Russian society Znanie presents a book on the history of the peoples of Russia at the National Centre

The book "We Are Russia. Origins and Horizons of Unity Among the Peoples of Russia" was presented on 6 November at the National Centre RUSSIA as part of the Znanie.Unity educational marathon. The publication was prepared by the Russian society Znanie in collaboration with AST Publishing House.

The Director General of the educational organisation, Maxim Dreval, explained that the book's title brings together two important ideas. "Origins" help us understand what made us one people. "Horizons" remind us that unity is both a legacy and a prerequisite for a shared future that Russians must build together.

"It was essential to us that the book should have a solid scholarly foundation while remaining accessible to a broad readership. We therefore brought historians, ethnologists, sociologists and political scientists into the project. This interdisciplinary approach allowed us to examine the unity of peoples from perspectives beyond historical events alone. The result is a book that helps readers look beyond individual facts to see a comprehensive picture of how our country took shape," said the Director General of the Russian society Znanie, Maxim Dreval.

The book consists of 11 sections. Readers can trace the journey from the unification of lands and peoples to the present day, exploring the country's system of government, the significance of the Russian people and language in shaping a shared identity, and the role of traditional religions and cultural ties. The authors also examine achievements in science and sport, as well as shared acts of heroism in war and extraordinary achievements through work.

The editorial board included Doctors of Historical Sciences Vardan Bagdasaryan, Alexei Zagrebin and Mikhail Myagkov; Doctor of Sociological Sciences Valery Belgorodsky; Candidate of Pedagogical Sciences Dmitry Guzhelya; Candidate of Historical Sciences Konstantin Mogilevsky; and Andrei Polosin, Doctor of Political Sciences and Candidate of Psychological Sciences. The team of authors was led by Viktor Stepanenko, Candidate of Historical Sciences. The publishing team was headed by Yulia Dannik, Head of the OGIZ Editorial Department at AST Publishing House.

The print run is 2,500 copies. The book will be distributed at events during International Week "Peoples of Russia", at the librarians' forum and at educational events organised by the Russian society Znanie, including those held as part of Znanie.Library. An electronic version will be available on the society's online platforms.

Maxim Dreval believes the new publication could mark the beginning of a large-scale educational series. Topics for these collections are currently being discussed.

The book presentation was held as part of the Znanie.Unity marathon, organised by the Russian society Znanie with support from the Security Council Staff of the Russian Federation. The event forms part of International Week "Peoples of Russia", marking National Unity Day, and brings together around 1,200 participants: students, veterans and participants in the special military operation, their family members, representatives of education and culture, participants in youth and patriotic projects, and multiethnic families.

The marathon programme includes open dialogues and lectures featuring government officials, public figures, Heroes of Russia, scientists and cultural figures, as well as a meeting with veterans of the Great Patriotic War. Participants discuss the shared memory of Victory, the unity of peoples, scientific achievements and the principles of a multipolar world. The event also features the 11-part video project "The Republics for the Front", which recounts the contribution of the Soviet Union's constituent republics to Victory through the stories of heroes, archival documents and accounts from people who lived at the time.