Anatoly Korolev and Dmitry Kosyrev, RIA Novosti commentators

"New Russia", words you often hear in Moscow and all over the country, are true - Russia really became new through trials and tribulations, achievements and victories.

How is that possible, you may ask. How can a country with a more than a thousand years' history become new? That is not surprising. Even nations that emerged several thousand years ago occasionally get a rejuvenation treatment - or they would die of old age.

National symbols appear among the most salient features as you track down the cycles of nations' and civilisations' ageing and renovation. Symbolism visibly shows a nation's desire to turn over a new leaf, or to cling to old traditions, or perhaps to retain the past but modernize it.

It is hard to find a more indicative and instructive example than the fate of two Russian symbols. One, Independence Day, celebrated on June 12, was conceived at the top political level as a principal national holiday and was approved by an overwhelming

Pages: [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8