June 6 is the birthday of Russia's greatest and most beloved poet, Alexander Pushkin. Among the events to mark the day on Monday was one that took place in the small town of Khasavyurt in Dagestan, a region in the south of Russia.
The Rasul Gamzatov Central City Library in Khasavyurt had the idea of asking people to send in videos of themselves reading Pushkin's poetry in their native language. People from more than two dozen countries took part, many filming themselves in native or traditional costumes — and most in their own local libraries.
By the end of the day, 37 people had sent in their renditions of Pushkin, one for each year that the poet lived.
For a real treat, listen to Pushkin in Greek, Nenets, Arabic, French, Buryat, and another dozen languages. Go here and scroll down to click on "see all posts."
Happy birthday, Alexander Sergeyevich!
