Circassia was an UNPO member between 1994 and 2015. 

The region of Circassia, located in the North Caucasus along the Black Sea, continues to grapple with deep-rooted historical injustices and modern challenges affecting its Indigenous people. Following the Russian-Circassian War, which culminated in 1864 with the mass killing and forced deportation of the Circassian population, millions were exiled to the Ottoman Empire in what scholars and Circassian activists widely consider a genocide. Today, the Circassian homeland is fragmented across multiple republics within the Russian Federation—Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Karachay-Cherkessia—limiting unified political and cultural representation. The Circassian language, divided into dialects, is critically endangered, with state policies in Russia continuing to promote Russification, restrict cultural expression, and limit education in native languages. 

In addition to cultural erosion, Circassians face political marginalisation, surveillance, and repression when advocating for historical recognition or Indigenous rights. Calls for the Russian state to recognise the 1864 genocide have been consistently silenced, and public commemorations are often monitored or obstructed. The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, held on historically Circassian land without local consultation, further underscored the lack of acknowledgment and participation afforded to Circassians in decisions impacting their heritage. The International Circassian Association (ICA), founded in 1991, has sought to unify Circassians across North Caucasus and diaspora in advocating for cultural preservation, historical injustice, and political representation. The ICA used its platform within UNPO to raise international awareness of the Circassian struggle—particularly around genocide recognition, language revival, and the right to self-determination. In today’s context, the association continues to navigate the complex space between advocacy and survival under increasingly centralised Russian governance, reflecting both the resilience and constraints of Indigenous political movements within authoritarian systems. 

Circassian culture in the North Caucasus is characterised by a rich heritage of oral tradition, music, dance, and customary law known as Adyghe Khabze, which continues to play a meaningful role in community life. The core values of respect, hospitality, courage, and social responsibility are reflected in both everyday interactions and important cultural ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, and public gatherings. Traditional dances, accompanied by distinctive folk music played on instruments like the shychepshin (a type of violin) and accordion, remain central to cultural expression, especially among youth in cultural ensembles and festivals across republics like Kabardino-Balkaria and Adygea. The Circassian language—primarily the Kabardian and Adyghe dialects—holds symbolic and practical importance, and while usage has declined, efforts continue through schools, media, and cultural programs to promote language learning among younger generations.

Cultural institutions, such as theaters, museums, and language departments in local universities, play a role in sustaining and showcasing Circassian heritage. National attire, traditional cuisine, and oral storytelling remain visible aspects of daily life in both rural and urban settings. The International Circassian Association (ICA), based in Nalchik, supports these efforts by coordinating cultural preservation initiatives among communities in the homeland and facilitating exchanges with Circassian diaspora groups. By promoting language education, cultural festivals, and academic research, the ICA contributes to the ongoing vitality of Circassian identity within the diverse cultural landscape of the North Caucasus.

Circassia is a historical region in the North Caucasus, situated along the northeast coast of the Black Sea and encompassing parts of present-day southern Russia, including the republics of Adygea, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Karachay-Cherkessia. The Indigenous Circassian people—also known as Adyghe—have inhabited the region for millennia, developing a distinct cultural and social system centred on clan-based communities and a customary code of conduct known as Adyghe Khabze. Historically, Circassians maintained independence through decentralised governance and strategic alliances, resisting external domination by regional empires including the Mongols, Ottomans, and eventually, the Russian Empire. 

The most defining and tragic chapter in Circassian history occurred during the Russian Circassian War (1763-1864), part of the larger Russian conquest of the Caucasus. The war culminated in 1864 with the mass killing and forced expulsion of the Circassian population by Tsarist forces. It is estimated that between 800,000 and 1.5 million Circassians were expelled or killed, with the majority exiled to the Ottoman Empire in what many historians and Circassian organizations regard as a genocide. The modern Circassian diaspora now spans Turkey, Jordan, Syria, Europe, and North America, with diaspora communities often outnumbering those in the Caucasus. Within the Russian Federation, the Circassian homeland remains divided among multiple administrative units, a legacy of Soviet nationality policy. Despite these divisions, Circassians continue to preserve their cultural identity, language, and historical memory both in the homeland and abroad.