Mari Dictation

On December 9, 2023, the House of Friendship in Leningrad Oblast participated in the International event ‘XI Universal Dictation: “MARLA CHYN VOZENA” (“Writing Mari Correctly”), dedicated to the Mari Script Day.

The goal of the initiative is to contribute to the preservation and development of the Mari language as the cultural heritage of the Mari people, fostering interest in the Mari language in the Republic of Mari El, regions with a compact Mari population, and abroad.

The nationwide organizer of the initiative was the Mari State University in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Press, and Nationalities of the Republic of Mari El, and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Mari El. In Leningrad Oblast, the event was organized by the Mari National and Cultural Autonomy of Leningrad Oblast ‘Shiy Korno.’ Participants included activists from the Mari autonomy, guests from the Republic of Mari El, students, and youth.

The basis of this year’s dictation was an excerpt from the documentary novel ‘Cholga Shydyr’ (‘Unfading Star’ or ‘Bright Star’) by Mari writer Dmitry Fedorovich Bogoslovsky, known by the pseudonym Dim. Oraj. The narrative revolves around love for the homeland, courage, and patriotism, focusing on the first Hero of the Soviet Union from the Mari people, Sergey Romanovich Suvorov. The text was read by a professional educator, elementary school teacher, and Mari language instructor, Irina Toygildina