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Iosif Kobzon, a famous Russian singer, member of parliament and Peopleís Artist of the USSR
Our friends from the Caucasus republics and Transcaucasia sincerely love Russians and Great Russia.
And we should do our best to promote and confirm our friendship
and help each other in deed rather than in word.
A trouble occurs, and we should be together.
A conflict occurs, and we should be together.
We always should be like brothers.
There had been no ethnic hatred among thousands of people gathered around Nord Ost during the conflict,
even though the terrorists were natives of the North Caucasus.
People had only expressed empathy to the hostages.
And there were no shouts: ìLook! They were Chechens!î
We didnít see that.
And it shouldnít take place.
We were guilty as well.
By ëWeí I mean our Great Russia, our kind, tolerant Mother Russia,
who welcomed all nations and embraced them.
We shouldnít allow ethnic hatred.
We mustnít.
All terrorist acts and inter-ethnic conflicts today are a result of poor spiritual culture.
We say that our society is intolerant.
It is because our cultural level is poor.
We should fight for spiritual conditions in our society which will prevent these anti-ethnic acts.
You have mentioned the term ëspiritual cultureí.
What is necessary to do to revive spiritual culture in the CIS and Russia?
I am a co-chair of the Forum of Spirituality, which had two sessions in Astana in Kazakhstan.
I noted that TV channels were broadcasting shows about national culture and tolerance 24 hours a day.
President Nazarbayev constantly pays attention to the issue.
Kazakhstan is a multinational country and the national mass media call for people
of different nationalities to respect and love each other all the time.
And we should do the same.
We shouldnít wait for conflicts which lead to bloodshed.
Ethnic hatred was the worst thing possible, when people hate each other, get involved in fights and so on.
We should take care of that.
To prevent this, parents, nurseries and schools should teach children
about different religions by professional teachers, such as a priest, mufti or rabbi.
For example during one month they tell children about Orthodoxy, another month ñ about Islam,
a third month ñ about Judaism.
Children should know that there are different nations;
there are no minor and major nations, some nations have a small number of representatives,
but they possess their own national heritage and pride.
We should tell our children that that there are different nationalities in our country,
and people respect their traditions, have different religions, remember their history, their past.
We should tell them about it all the time.
I tell my grandchildren about this.
I have seven grandchildren.
When they ask me: ìGrandfather, why donít you attend a church?î,
I told them that I respect all religions, but I am not baptized,
thatís why I donít attend a church, but I also donít attend a synagogue.
I am a MP from a Buddhist district, and when I visit it I attend both an Orthodox cathedral
and a Buddhist temple; I demonstrate my respectful attitude to people of various religions.
We should grow spiritual culture in our society from childhood.