Russia devises five-year plan to boost patriotism

Half of all Russians will participate in patriotic events by 2015, according to a new multi-million-dollar five-year plan to rear patriotic citizens.

The government Tuesday published the plan, which was approved by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin last week. Its goal is to "form a patriotic conscience among Russian citizens as one factor of national unity," the document says.

Russia will set aside 777 million rubles ($25.9 million) from 2011 to 2015 to encourage patriotism. Most of the money will come from the federal budget.

Over the next five years, the number of people participating in "patriotic education programs" should increase from 35 percent in 2010 to 50 percent in 2015.

The number of patriotic educators and organizers is also due to increase from 20,000 to 45,000 in five years, while the number of patriotic "military-sports" camps is set to grow from 890 to 1,400 by 2015.

The aims of the program include increasing the "positive dynamic of patriotism in the country ... overcoming extremist tendencies of some groups - a revival of spirituality."

The government has already completed two patriotic five-year plans, the first of which was launched in 2001 after Vladimir Putin became president.

Putin has stressed the theme of patriotism throughout his two terms, saying in 2003 that it should become Russia's uniting ideology.

Russia has particularly paid attention to lavishly financing patriotic films and military parades in Moscow, such as the May 9 Victory Day from World War II, which has become increasingly larger in scale since 2005.

AFP