JOUR DE L'UNITÉ

Celebration of Russia's liberation from Polish occupation in 1612. It was after this episode that the Romanov dynasty acceded to the throne and remained there until the revolution of October 1917. It was not celebrated again between 1917 and 2005. Re-instituted by Vladimir Putin when the Festival of Reconciliation (which takes place 3 days later) was abolished, it officially celebrates the diversity of the country, but also gives rise to nationalist demonstrations