Posted on June 12, 2022
Key points
This is an update of my post published on June 12, 2011:
First and most important, I am – like almost everybody in the entire world, including many Russians – entirely against Russia’s senseless and cruel invasion of Ukraine. Putin and his enablers, and those Russians who support Putin, are super-duper wrong in what they are doing, and why, and it needs to stop.
That said, Putin doesn’t get to represent Russia through all its history, through its contributions to the arts and sciences, and through all of its 144 million people.
The largest part of the Soviet Union was Russia, and when the Soviet Union broke up, Russia adopted a Constitution and a new flag, declaring itself the Russian Federation on June 12, 1990. That is why Russia Day is celebrated on June 12.
One of my favorite aspects of Russian culture is the matryoshka or nesting doll. Nowadays you can find modern nesting dolls of things such as Winnie-the-Pooh and cats, but even the old fashioned matryoshka aren’t as old as you might think; the craft began in some workshops near Moscow in 1890.
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| This is the first Russian nesting doll. |
Watch the hand-carving of nesting dolls, using a lathe. And here is a video that shows nesting dolls being painted.
Make some nesting dolls using paper cups, or you can buy blank nesting dolls and paint them any way you want.
For more…
Enchanted Learning has a variety of resources, including Russian map activities and worksheets that teach beginning Russian language.
Also on this date:
Author Anne Frank’s birthday
Heidi author Johanna Spyri’s birthday
Loving Day
Dia dos Namorados
Chaco Peace Day in Paraguay
Birthday of President George H.W. Bush
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Crowded Nest Syndrome Awareness Day
Banana Split Festival
National Jerky Day
Independence Day in the Philipppines
Plan ahead:
Check out my Pinterest boards for:
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June holidays
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June birthdays
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Historical anniversaries in June
And here are my Pinterest boards for:
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July holidays
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July birthdays
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Historical anniversaries in July
