Russian Sailing Federation, the "Zhivaya Classica" Foundation and Nornickel Company Launch "Derzhi Balans": a New International Sports and Cultural Festival in Russia

The First International Sports and Cultural Festival will be held in the small village of Nickel, which is situated on the border of Russia and Norway. The name of the festival in Russian mirrors its spirit and purpose - "Derzhi Balans", which means "hold the balance". It demonstrates the possibility of combining fundamental areas of life such as sport, art and education. The event will take place from the 11^th to the 19^th of August, 2018.

The festival's main organizers are the Russian Sailing Federation and the "Zhivaya Classica" foundation, which is famous for the promotion of Russian literature in the global arena and among young people.

This free festival features internationally recognized sportsmen, Olympic medallists, authors and artists who will participate in over 80 sports and cultural events planned in the program. Highlights of the program include a film festival, sailing and SUP sport competitions, countless hubs for networking, workshops, and recreational activities .

The general sponsor of the festival is the Nornickel Company, which has global objectives related to ecology. Being a nickel and palladium mining and smelting company, it inevitably creates pollution. However by 2016, harmful emissions were considerably decreased by 35,000 tons per year. This accomplishment was recognized and rewarded by international ecological authorities.

The festival is another big step aiming to improve northern areas of Russia by attracting tourists and encouraging local businesses to grow, offering world-class services to the event for guests and participants.

The festival will be open to visitors from different countries, who will be able to combine sport and recreational activities, learn about Russian culture, and experience its natural beauties.

One of the main natural attractions is a bilateral nature reserve, called Pasvic, which is located in the valley between Norway and Russia. This reserve features taiga and tundra forests, valleys, lakes, and rivers as well as mix of mountainous and northern species of wildlife.

As a result, the guests of the festival will have a wide variety of sport and cultural activities along with a chance to visit tourist attractions in the neighbouring areas.