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The 2017 National Award in science and technology has been awarded to Cristallography and Photonics researchers Mikhail Alfimov, Sergei Gromov and Alexander Chibisov. Among the award winners are also Chief endocrinologist of the Russian Healthcare Ministry Academician Ivan Dedov, and Yevgeny Rogaeyev, DrSc. (Biology).

The 2017 National Award in literature and the arts has been awarded to Director General of the Kaliningrad Museum of the World Ocean Svetlana Sivkova, Artistic Director of the St Petersburg State Philharmonia Yury Temirkanov and Artistic Director of the St Petersburg Academic Ballet Theatre Boris Eifman.

The 2017 National Award for outstanding achievements in humanitarian activity has been awarded to President of the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts Irina Antonova.

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Russian President Vladimir Putin: Laureates, friends,

I am pleased to greet you and all Russians on Russia Day.

This day is a symbol of a free and future-oriented Russia, and marks the greatness of its centuries-long history, and the victories and accomplishments of many generations of our predecessors.

Today it is our contemporaries who set the seal on the glory and power of our country with their labour and achievements. The presentation of the Russian Federation National Awards is one of the more important events of Russia Day, and its tradition. It is a celebration of outstanding Russian citizens and recognition of their services to the Motherland.

I sincerely thank you, esteemed laureates, for your commitment to spiritual and humanitarian values and for your true service to Russian culture, science and education in and outside of schools and universities.

Your life and dedication to your work is an example of special and inspiring strength. You are doubtlessly endowed with the inner freedom that opens up space for pursuing scientific quests, for bold creativity and the fulfilment of your talents.

This hall has heard, although a general, abridged version, of our laureates’ accomplishments. Yet I will not deny myself the pleasure of repeating certain parts of it.

Irina Antonova is among a constellation of brilliant Russian cultural figures. She has entered world art history as a consistent champion of the dialogue of cultures, and an educator with encyclopaedic knowledge and impeccable artistic taste.

The implementation of Ms Antonova’s innovative ideas and her selfless labour has set the highest standards of museum work, and put the Pushkin Museum on the global map. The era of Irina Antonova is and will forever remain part of Russian culture. Her humanitarian accomplishments are truly exceptional.

Ms Antonova, I am sincerely pleased to congratulate you on this prestigious award.

Maestro Yuri Temirkanov has the true innate talent of familiarising people with musical masterpieces and initiating them to higher ideals and values. He has reached the height of his profession and glory and made great contributions to the development of world culture.

A champion of academic art, Mr Temirkanov has filled classical works with his own brilliant vision of the composers’ original ideas. His many fans the world over are mesmerised by his unparalleled style.

Since stepping on the stage of the St Petersburg Philharmonia as the artistic director of its symphony orchestra, Mr Temirkanov has added new colour to its musical palette. While he continues to conduct the world’s most eminent orchestras, Mr Temirkanov considers his work in his hometown to be most important, saying that St Petersburg “is in command of his heart”. (Turning to Yuri Temirkanov) Am I correct?

Boris Eifman is also rightfully called a living legend. Few people recognise their true calling from an early age and pursue it with the determination that Mr Eifman charted his own independent course as a choreographer.

Boris Eifman has always been about bravery, freedom and the rejection of established rules and canon. His productions have transformed the way we think about ballet, expanding what this art form is capable of, and captivating audiences with a new style of dance which is complex, striking and emotional.

The language of Boris Eifman’s choreography, his school have become classic and entered textbooks not just for their formal expression of artistic ideas but also for their psychological and philosophical insights into human nature, behaviour and spirituality.

Svetlana Sivkova has dedicated her life to preserving and popularising Russia’s marine legacy. Her passion for her work not only has made it possible to bring many plans and dreams into being; it is also infectious and brings together energetic, committed people.

Kaliningrad’s Museum of the World Ocean began with the preservation of the legendary research vessel Vityaz. Back then, in 1990, Ms Sivkova and her like-minded team demonstrated their firmness and decisiveness, and later on they never shirked from challenges and only moved forward, creating Russia’s only comprehensive marine museum in the process. Its visitors can get a full view of the world ocean, its nature and history of exploration, including by Russian researchers. Thank to Ms Sivkova’s efforts, a system was created to support the study and preservation of Russia’s marine legacy.

Friends,

The advances of Russian research teams largely determined the course of modern science.

The achievements of scientists at the RAS Crystallography and Photonics Federal Research Centre have been recognised with a National Award.

Mikhail Alfimov, Sergei Gromov and Alexander Chibisov pioneered solutions that make it possible to construct and create materials on the molecular level that can change properties when exposed to light.

This fundamental discovery will surely have numerous applications. It will help store and transmit data more efficiently in medicine to monitor patient health and in ecology to provide precise environmental data, and much more in other crucial areas.

In recent years, our researchers have made a real breakthrough in what is called the life sciences, which have as their aim preventing and curing diseases, prolonging life and improving its quality.

Ivan Dedov, a research organiser who oversees large-scale research programmes in endocrinology, has made a colossal contribution to the advancement of science in Russia. His methods of personalised diagnostics and treatment have prolonged by decades the lives of patients still in their prime. As a result, Russia has earned a place among world leaders in the fight against diabetes.

Biologist Yevgeny Rogayev has made a number of key discoveries in his research of hereditary diseases. He shed light on the genetic roots of Alzheimer's, haemophilia, and congenital cataracts. Such exceptional scientific accomplishments bring humanity closer to eradicating what once were incurable illnesses.

Friends,

For each one of you, the journey to success has meant daily hard work, total commitment and responsibility. I know that there is great happiness in the lives you lead – committing yourself, your efforts, knowledge and talents to your calling, scaling the heights of your profession as you do the work that you love and are completely committed to, delighting, amazing and inspiring others with the monumental results of your labour, and doing a great service to your native country and its people.

I want to once again express my sincere congratulations to you all. I thank you for what you have done for your country, for our Fatherland. I wish you new achievements.

Thank you very much for your attention.

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Vladimir Putin: Friends,

Talking about his research, one of our laureates today, Mr Dedov, I believe, said that modern methods allow us to look into the future, to make predictions.

Today is a holiday, Russia Day, and each of us obviously cares about the future of our nation, the future of our Motherland, the future of Russia. This future is being shaped today by talented, remarkable, hard-working people who number in the hundreds of thousands, in the millions all over Russia. We can see, we know that with such “architects” as our laureates here with us today, our future is guaranteed. All will be well.

(Russia’s National Anthem plays.)