THE BASHKIR COMMUNITY
The majority of the members of The Bashkir Community settled in Toronto starting with 1990-s. Most of them immigrated to Canada as skilled workers. They quickly integrated into Canadian society and are a big asset to Toronto’s multicultural community.
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The main purpose of The Bashkir Community is to preserve the peoples’ culture, language, traditions and participate in multi cultural ethnic events in Toronto and country wide.
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Events
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Currently, Bashkir community does not have a place of its own. However, friends from other ethnic communities, such as Turkish, give us their places to hold the events. Also, many of the events are held outdoors.
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Canadian Bashkirs had special illumination by Niagara Falls Illumination Board in 2019, 2020 and 2021 that was broadcasted all over the world.
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Since 2019 The Bashkir Community have been participating in the project by Club Etcetera “In Flanders Fields” and contributed translations of the poem into dozens of languages, including Bashkir, Tatar, Kazakh and others.
The Bashkir Community is a big friend of the Festival of Jewish Culture “OtAzoi!” and participated in the event multiple times.
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The Bashkir Community actively participated in organization and celebration of the Day of Uzbekistan together with Uzbek Community Canada in 2021 and 2022.
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The Bashkir Community made presentations at major ethnic summer festivals at Mel Lastman Square, like Turkuaz Festival in 2024 and many others.
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The activity of The Bashkir Community has always been widely depicted by different ethnic media in Ontario during the past 20 years.
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Special priority of The Bashkir Community is organizing events that help Canadian Bashkirs to preserve their culture and language, know the people’s history and ethnic traditions, to be aware of the meaning and significance of Bashkir national costumes, food, symbols and lifestyle.
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Many events organized by The Bashkir Community unite representatives of many Toronto ethnic communities. Among them there are such major events like the following:
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- traditional celebration of The Day of The Republic of Bashkortostan in Niagara Falls with the special illumination;
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- presentation of The Republic of Bashkortostan for families of Consuls General of different counties accredited in Toronto.
International connections:
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The Bashkir Community has strong links outside Canada with such communities as BashkirGlobe that unites Bashkirs all over the world, Bishbarmak (USA Bashkirs), Bashkirs in Poland, Switzerland, France, Italy, Turkey, Germany, China, Monaco, Estonia, New Zealand, Uzbekistan, Lithuania and other countries.
Media:
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Dozens of films representing Bashkir prominent persons, traditions, Kurultay Canada events, poetry and festivals are on our YouTube channel, Facebook page and Instagram.
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YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@user-ve5yy6zl3w/videos
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1578830735705227
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kurultay_canada/
Holidays and Special dates:
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Eids are major Muslim religious celebrations. Uraza Bayram is celebrated at the end of the month of Ramadan, and Kurban Bayram follows two months later.
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February 21 – International Mother Tongue Day
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February 24 – The Day of Bashkir Flag
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April 9 and September 10 – The Day of the Traditional Costume
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June 12 – The Day of The City of Ufa
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October 11 – The Day of The Republic of Bashkortostan
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December 14 – The Day of the Bashkir Language
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Religious Centre:
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Ninety-nine percent of the community members are Muslim, the rest are Orthodox Christians. Muslims weddings, giving name to newborns, praying for community members who passed away take place at Mosque in Barrie, ON.
Mosque: 155 Ferris Ln, Barrie, ON L4M 1Z3
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Organization:
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Kurultay Canada. Bashkir people residing in Canada are united by the non-profit corporation Kurultay Canada. The community exists since 1999. Officially it was registered on the Federal level on May 19, 2019.
Kurultay Canada is represented in Moncton NB, Vancouver BC, Montreal QC, Ottawa ON, Kitchener ON, London ON, Barrie ON and other cities of the country.
Email Address: kurultaicanada@gmail.com
Phone for text messages: 647-290-2135
Prominent Torontonians:
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Farida Samerkhanova, writer and artist, the winner of Canadian and international awards; Nikita Vasiliev, Kurultay Canada director; Ildar Samerkhanov, founder of Kurultay Canada; Gulnara Ovezova, public figure; Azat Samerkhanov, mass media figure, TV host; Aygul Anikina, founder of Kurutay Canada.
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