From October 23 to October 24, 2026, Cherkessk hosted the All-Russian Scientific and Practical conference with international participation "Batalpashinsky Readings — 2026". The forum was held as part of the celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Pyatigorsk Diocese, the Year of Unity of the Peoples of Russia and the Year of the Spiritual and Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of Karachay-Cherkessia.
The organizers were the Pyatigorsk Diocese, the regional public movement "Rus", the World Russian People's Council and Karachay-Cherkess State University named after U.D. Aliyev. The event was held with the support of the head of the republic, R.B. Temrezov.
The participants of the readings were greeted by Archbishop Theophylact of Pyatigorsk and Cherkessia, Chairman of the Spiritual Board of Muslims of Karachay-Cherkessia Mufti Muhammad Haji Erkenov, representatives of government authorities, the scientific community and public organizations.
About 60 reports were presented at the plenary session and thematic sections. Scientists, educators, clergy and public figures discussed the preservation of cultural heritage, strengthening interethnic and interfaith harmony, and patriotic education of young people. A separate session was devoted to the interaction of the Church, the state and society. There were also reports on the history and ethnography of the peoples of the Caucasus.
Special attention was paid to the participation of young people. At the youth platform, they talked about the Russian language and the languages of the peoples of Russia as a living heritage, about the preservation of ethnic and cultural diversity, common values and national traditions. During the discussion with the scientists, the students were able to ask questions about interethnic and interreligious relations, as well as about the security of the country.
The conference brought together experts from various regions of Russia and abroad. Students and schoolchildren from ten educational institutions of Karachay-Cherkessia, Stavropol and Krasnodar participated in its work. The organization was assisted by volunteers of the youth movement "Soboryans" of St. Nicholas Cathedral in Cherkessk.
On the second day, the guests were given an excursion to the historical sites of Karachay-Cherkessia with visits to temples of the X–XI centuries, the Krasnogorsk Watchtower and the Monument Museum to the Defenders of the passes of the Caucasus.
The reports of the participants are planned to be published in a scientific collection with placement in the Russian Science Citation Index system.