Russia | India
Approximately 10,000 people attended the Power of Colour Festival at the Big Wood Ski Resort in the Murmansk Region city of Kirovsk. The festival took place on 6-7 May as part of the plan of events of Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council in 2021-2023, which are managed by the Roscongress Foundation. The main goal of the festival was to promote Arctic tourism.
The musical part of the festival was headlined by Olga Seryabkina, Moya Michel, and DJ Clubkilla. Regional stars, including DJ Deep Touch, DJ Silinsky, DJ Tanitsoy, DJ Gabur, and DJ No Izi, as well as the cover band Naveka Band, also performed on the main stage of the festival.
Nine public catering establishments from the Murmansk Region and Karelia presented their dishes during the gastronomic part of the festival. Visitors to the Taste of the Arctic food court learned about the unique restaurant dishes in a street food format. Over two days, guests tasted 5,200 servings of Arctic dishes and 3,300 servings of beverages. The event was held under the patronage of the Gastronomic Map of Russia project with the involvement of project manager Yekaterina Shapovalova.
In addition, the MURMANSK.TRAVEL Market site provided guests with an opportunity to take sightseeing tours with the best guides of the Khibiny tourism cluster, take part in master classes, purchase exclusive souvenirs, and also send a postcard around Russia for free. The festival guests sent a total of 6,500 postcards.
The Power of Colour Festival was organized by the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East and the Arctic, the Murmansk Region’s Tourism Committee, the Kirovsk City Administration, the company PhosAgro, and the Kirovsk Agency for the Development of Tourism and Entrepreneurship with the support of the projects Gastronomic Map of Russia, Silver Necklace of Russia, as well as the Tourism Information Centre of the Murmansk Region.
The Big Wood ski resort is the highest mountain resort in northwest Russia. It is located on the southern and northern slopes of Aikuayvenchorr Mountain and includes trails with every level of difficulty. Big Wood is on list of Russia’s best ski resorts, and in 2022 it won the nomination ‘Best Ski Resort in Russia in the Northwestern Federal District’ of the Mountains of Russia National Award. It remains open for skiers even in June.
Russia is chairing the Arctic Council in 2021-2023. A cross-cutting priority of the chairmanship is to ensure responsible governance over the sustainable development of the Arctic. The comprehensive programme of Russia’s chairmanship of the Arctic Council aims to promote cooperation to improve the well-being and quality of life of the Arctic population, including the Indigenous peoples of the North, adapt the Arctic to the effects of climate change, conserve the biodiversity and unique ecosystems of the Arctic, ensure socioeconomic development, find solutions in matters concerning global energy and transport security, promote scientific cooperation in high latitudes, and strengthen international cooperation.