Nornickel has developed a comprehensive plan to assist the development of the indigenous peoples of the North, calculated for five years, for a total of two billion rubles. The program will run until 2024 and includes support for traditional activities, protection of the original habitat, as well as funding for housing, medical, infrastructure, tourist socio-cultural projects. The list of these projects was formed with the direct participation of local communities. This should lay the foundation for effective cooperation between indigenous peoples, local authorities and industry in the development of the region.
The new program is the result of the ethnological examination that took place in Taimyr this summer. The expedition members conducted over 100 interviews and surveys of the representatives of the indigenous peoples. Based on their proposals, priority tasks were identified, including the creation of seasonal jobs in areas such as tourism, reindeer husbandry, fishing and hunting. It is already planned to build workshops for processing reindeer and fish, purchase refrigeration units, build an ethnic complex with workshops for the fur products production, subsidize helicopter transportation, targeted training in specialties in the company’s demand, and the publication of textbooks in native languages. The presentation with the details of the program is available at the active link.
“We have jointly formed new systemic measures to support the indigenous peoples living on the territory of Taimyr, these measures are now consolidated in the form of the agreement”, Andrey Grachev, Nornickel’s vice president for federal and regional programs, commented on the signing of the agreement. “The developed program includes more than 40 events designed for five years. About two billion rubles are provided for financing. The support program primarily provides for the measures aimed at developing the economic activities of indigenous peoples and the reproduction of renewable resources, which are the material base of traditional farming and the basis for the preservation of indigenous peoples. Nornickel traditionally interacts with organizations representing the interests of the indigenous peoples of the North in the regions of operations, ensuring transparency in decision-making and maximum efficiency in the implementation of joint projects”.
Grigory Ledkov, President of the Association of Indigenous Minorities of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation, added: “The agreement can serve as an example for other companies, as it emphasizes the importance of preserving the indigenous peoples’s habitat and protecting our values and traditions.
The full-scale ethnological expertise itself was a big step in the right direction and paved the way for further similar projects. Measures of vital importance for the indigenous peoples will be taken on the basis of the expert opinions. We are confident that the agreement will allow us to reach new joint approaches to sustainable development of the North and to solve the most pressing problems of local communities”.
The agreement was signed by Nornickel Vice President for Federal and Regional Programs Andrey Grachev, President of the Association of Indigenous Minorities of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation Grigory Ledkov, President of the Regional Association of Indigenous Minorities of the North of the Krasnoyarsk region Artur Gayulsky and Chairman of the Association of Indigenous Minorities of Taimyr Krasnoyarsk region Grigory Dyukarev.
As a reminder, Nornickel regularly participates in projects aimed at the economic and social development of the indigenous population of Taimyr, including air transportation, supplies of building materials, diesel fuel, as well as cultural events and holidays. Special attention is paid to the problem of preserving the languages of the indigenous peoples of the North. An important area of assistance to Taimyr is the company’s participation in projects for the reconstruction and construction of socially significant facilities. At the expense of Nornickel, the Neptun swimming pool was reconstructed in Dudinka, a rural house of culture was built in the village of Kheta, the Dudinka orphanage and the Dudinka sports complex were repaired. On terms of co-financing, with the participation of Nornickel, a sports and recreation center was built in Dudinka. The total amount of the company’s expenses for activities aimed at supporting and developing regions of the indigenous peoples’ permanent residence, from 2018 to 2020 amounted to 277 million rubles.
Text: Victor Tsaryov Photo: Nornickel press office
