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President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, friends,

Congratulations first of all on actually managing to make it out here despite the bad weather, and congratulations on your professional holiday, Culture Professionals’ Day. I offer my congratulations not only to you, but to everyone who works in this area of such influence and importance.

For most of you your work is not simply a job but is a vocation, a calling and a lofty mission. Those who work in the cultural sphere, building and preserving its finest traditions and multiplying the spiritual strength that has always filled Russian culture help to shape society’s moral values and ethics and create a modern new cultural space. Far from everyone is suited to this work.

It is work that requires talent and deep knowledge of one’s subject. Intuition is essential too, the ability to perceive the surrounding world differently, through the emotions. Dmitry Likhachev once called culture the “sacred shrine of the people and nation.” Respect for our country’s great culture is indeed an inseparable part of our people’s historical memory and is in many ways the foundation for the creative search and new projects and ideas. 

I want to announce the decision to establish three new President’s prizes in literature and the arts. These prizes, each of which will be worth 2.5 million rubles [more than $80,000], will be awarded for original and talented works for children and young people. 

”Respect for our country’s great culture is indeed an inseparable part of our people’s historical memory and is in many ways the foundation for the creative search and new projects and ideas.“

Friends, it gives me real pleasure now to congratulate the young cultural professionals who have been awarded the President’s Prize. This is the third time the prize is being awarded. We could say that a tradition has thus been established now, a fine tradition that takes place precisely on the Culture Professionals’ Day. It is with pleasure that I will now say a few words about the winners.

Olga Malyshko fruitfully combines two areas in her work – bibliography and regional studies. Her experience of using the possibilities libraries offer for resolving today’s tasks is certainly of great interest. The regional studies portal she has created presents Altai Territory on Russia’s electronic map and tells about the region’s natural, cultural, industrial and intellectual wealth. And it really is a region of exceptional wealth and beauty. Olga Malyshko is without doubt one of those people who boldly break down the stereotypes and use the newest methods in their work, and her efforts have made a big contribution to giving libraries and their role a new image. 

Yulia Peresild, another of the winners, is known and loved by fans of the State Theatre of Nations and by millions of television viewers too. She represents the Russian school of psychological theatre and wins over the viewers with her inner warmth and sincerity, which most certainly reflect her profound, sincere, and responsible attitude towards her profession.

The prize has also been awarded to Yevgeny Sosedov for his contribution to preserving Russia’s cultural heritage. He is only 25, but already has solid experience as a civic activist. From his first years as a student he has been actively involved in preserving historical and cultural heritage in Moscow Region. His main project is the unique Arkhangelskoye estate. His strength of conviction, purposefulness, and civic courage have done much to help preserve this valuable museum complex. He knows how to go about reaching his goals in competent fashion, without pomp and self-publicity. This kind of noble work certainly deserves our respect.

Once again, I congratulate all of you most warmly and wish you all future success.

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