Oriented on making people closer

Russian President spoke during his annual end-of-year news conference that lasted more than four hours and which was attended by record-breaking almost 2,000 journalists. Among them was one of the authors of ORIENT – Leonid Kiyashko, journalist, a member of the Ivanovo branches of the Guild of Interethnic Journalism, Russia. Today he shared with his impressions:

• I represented the Russian edition, but as a Turkmenistan native, I listened with interest the discussion of issues related to the CIS countries, particularly to Central Asia. The international agenda is traditionally one of the main topic at the press conference of Vladimir Putin and therefore attracts the attention of many countries.

Elina Dashkuyeva from the MIR International TV and Radio Company, reminded Vladimir Vladimirovich about the Council of CIS Heads of State in Ashgabat, where the upcoming 75th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War was discussed: “You said that this Victory concerns every citizen of the Soviet Union..You invited CIS leaders to come here to take part in the commemorative events, and also agreed to hold joint events to mark this date.”

... Colorful impressions from the Victory Day parade at the Kremlin walls, which was held ten years ago, came to my mind. On that day, Turkmen battalion – guard of honor – with a cavalryman-commander on the Akhal Teke horse Gyrat in front of it was marched on Red Square stone paving. By the way, Gyrat is a direct descendant of an Akhal Teke stallion that Marshal Georgy Zhukov rode at the Victory Parade in 1945.

Such a roll of eras turned out to be not only symbolic, but also very impressive. And probably, it was the most memorable moment of both parades.

“The presence at the parade in Moscow of the descendants of those who defended our state independence and preserved our peoples – of course, in my opinion, is a symbolic and important gesture. We will be glad to see everyone who accepts our invitation,” Vladimir Putin said, speaking about the plans for the upcoming anniversary events.

The marathon presser saw the Russian president answer many questions about the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory among other things. The issue of historical justice, proved by documents on the war, was one of them. During the conference, the President of Russia announced a new meeting of the CIS heads of state, which is already taking place in St. Petersburg today: “I would like to introduce some of our archive files to my colleagues from the CIS states.”

Turkmen leader is also participating in the meeting. This year, Turkmenistan chairs over the Commonwealth and carries out tasks successfully, which was praised by other leaders many times.

... It is extremely difficult to ask Vladimir Putin a question in such a competition environment during a large press conference, but it is still possible to attract the attention to the topic. My colleagues used many ways for this ... Bright clothes, including national ones (with scarves, wreaths, felt boots), as well as silk-screen printing, all kinds of plates and posters, flags.

By the way, the flags of the Russian regions appeared on the huge projectors of the press conference. Including the symbol of the Ivanovo Region, which I represented, with a wreath of flax grown here, as well as cotton, which has long been exported to this textile region from Central Asian countries.

Indeed, Ivanovo is one of the most multicultural cities in the country. The third House of Nationalities opened here following Moscow and St. Petersburg. And the Governor of the Ivanovo Region annually awards the journalists with a prize “For a special contribution to the development and strengthening of interethnic relations”.

* * *

By the way, Leonid Kiyashko, a member of the Ivanovo branch of the Guild of Interethnic Journalism, was recently awarded for the best information coverage of the activities of national and cultural associations of the Ivanovo Region. And publications on the ORIENT website, about the life of the Turkmen diaspora and students from Ashgabat and other cities studying in Russia, about the cultural and economic relations of Turkmenistan and Russia assisted as well.