The Moscow center of nationalities has held an evening dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the 'Caucasus Peace' fund.
The ex-president of North Ossetia Alania Akhsarbek Galazov has been
heading the fund for 10 years. The fund is aimed at promoting values
of the cultural and historic heritage of Russia and Caucasus,
preventing ethnic conflicts and terrorism, using culture as an
instrument for international concert.
The fund made 10 documentaries about dignified figures of the Russian
and Caucasian culture, two collections of Caucasian poetry translated
by Arseniy Tarkovsky and Bella Akhmadulina, a prose collection of
Andrey Bitov were published. The fund held an exhibition entitled
'Women of the Caucasus on photos, paintings, sculptures, graphics' in
2003, an album was published in 2009.
The guests honored Bella Akhmadulina, founder of the fund, with a
minute's silence, Vestnik Kavkaza reports, citing the press-service of
the office of the North Ossetia-Alania at the Russian president.
Alexander Totoonov, deputy representative of the North Ossetia-Alania,
said that the head of North Ossetia Taymuraz Mamsurov signed a decree
on awarding Akhsarbek Galazov with the Medal in the Hornor of Ossetia,
the highest reward.
Totoonov presented Akhsarbek Galazov with a greeting message from
Mamsurov. The message contains recognition of all Galazov's
achievements. Galazov himself issued the medal in the early 90s of the
XX century.
The Russian Minister of Culture Alexander Avdeyev made a speech,
greeting the fund's presidium and all the guests present.
In his speech Avdeyev reminded about the contribution to the Soviet,
Russian and world culture of Bella Akhmadulina, Veronika Dudarova,
Rasul Gamzatov, Fazil Iskander, Andrey Bitov, Valery Gergiyev, Rustam
Ibragimbekov, Armen Dzhigarkhanyan, and Vladimir Soskiyev.
A deputy of the Russian parliament Arkady Baskayev said that the
council of the lower chamber decided to award a Certificate of Honor
of the Russian State Duma for active social-political work.
Deputy head of the Culture Committee in Moscow Anna Popova read out a
greeting note of the Vice-Mayor of Moscow Lyudmila Shvetsova and
thanked the fund's staff and Galazov for the work.
As a reply to the congratulations, Akhsarbek Galazov noted that he is
bothered by xenophobia and national radicalism, especially concerning
the youth. He expressed hope that a moral basis will help preserve the
peace.
