Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 11 June (BelTA) - Presenting the Stars of the Commonwealth humanitarian award is a happy and pleasant event the news about which will travel throughout the CIS, Chairman of the Board of the CIS Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Azerbaijan to Russia Polad Bulbuloglu said when speaking at the award ceremony in Minsk on 11 June, BelTA has learned.

Polad Bulbuloglu thanked Belarus for the opportunity to organize a ceremony at the National Academic Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theater. The diplomat expressed the view that in today's turbulent world, where negative news is in abundance, presenting the humanitarian award warms the soul. “This is a happy and pleasant event the news about which will travel throughout the CIS," he said.

The Ambassador noted that the post-Soviet states spent many years being part of one country and the CIS Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation helps maintain humanitarian ties in this integration organization. “We cannot live in isolation. We need to be open, to share knowledge, so that we could feel some kind of community in humanitarian space, especially in culture and art,” he believes.

Together with Polad Bulbuloglu the award was presented by Co-Chairman of the CIS Interstate Fund for Humanitarian Cooperation, special representative of the Russian President on international cultural cooperation Mikhail Shvydkoi.

Welcoming the guests, Belarus’ Information Minister Lilia Ananich noted that Stars of the Commonwealth Award is a kind of creative thread that connects the CIS countries and also nourishes literature, medicine, culture and other areas. According to Lilia Ananich, Belarus makes a significant contribution to the development of interstate interaction. The guests were also welcomed by Belarus’ Culture Minister Boris Svetlov.

Among the winners of the Stars of the Commonwealth 2016 Award are Belarusian biologists Vladimir Reshetnikov, Vladimir Titok and Yelena Spiridovich, USSR People’s Artist Ferһad Semsi oglu Bedelbeyli (Azerbaijan), outstanding Armenian physicist Sergei Ambartsumyan, Director General of the National Academic Library of Kazakhstan Umutkan Munalbayeva, People’s Artist of Kyrgyzstan Muratbek Begaliev, People’s Writer of Moldova Ion Druta, USSR People’s Artist Art Director of the Russian State Small Theater Yuri Solomin, and People’s Artist of Tajikistan Vafo Nazarov.

The Stars of the Commonwealth award has been instituted by the Council for Humanitarian Cooperation and the Interstate Foundation for Humanitarian Cooperation of the CIS member states. The award is bestowed every year for outstanding accomplishments on par with world ones in the sphere of humanitarian activities. These accomplishments are supposed to contribute to the development of every CIS member state and the Commonwealth as a whole.

The award is presented in three nominations: achievements in science and education, culture and art, and also humanitarian activity. The award comprises prize money, a diploma, a badge of an honorary winner and a certificate. Every nomination envisages up to three awards worth RUB2 million each.

This prestigious award was first presented in 2010. A year ago the award was bestowed upon famous Belarusian actor, USSR People’s Artist Rostislav Yankovsky.