The Association of the Kola Saami and the Murmansk Region Public Organization for Legal Education and the Preservation of Saami Cultural Heritage may be merged into a single entity.
A source involved in the process told SeverPost that discussions on the merger are currently underway.
One of the reasons cited for the possible unification is the unilateral refusal of the Scandinavian countries and Finland to continue cooperation with Russia within the framework of the Saami Council.
According to the source, in this context, a unified organization in Russia would find it easier to carry out activities aimed at preserving and developing the culture, way of life, and traditions of this indigenous minority people.
The source also considers it symbolic that the merger could take place in a year declared by Russian President Vladimir Putin as the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia.
“The unification of the two organizations will strengthen the Saami community in Russia and once again demonstrate that, despite everything happening in the world, the Kola Saami are united, resilient, and strong, and are ready to move forward together, leaving any possible disagreements behind,” the source concluded.
It is worth recalling that Polina Kharibina, a member of the Murmansk Region public organization Association of the Kola Saami and a member of the Saami indigenous clan community Loparskaya, became a third-degree laureate of the 6th All-Russian Public Award for Personal Contribution to Ethnocultural Development and the Strengthening of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, “Pride of the Nation – 2025”, in the category “For Contribution to the Preservation and Development of Native Languages.”