Russian cultural center opens in Kyrgyzstan

21/6 Tass 8

BISHKEK, June 21 (Itar-Tass) - An official opening ceremony of the
Russian cultural center House of the Russian Book was held in the Kyrgyz
capital on Tuesday. This project was sponsored by the Eurasian Research
Institute development fund.
The cultural center's main task is the development of the
Russian-Kyrgyz cooperation in the humanitarian sphere, an official at the
Bishkek's office of the Fund told Itar-Tass.
"Moreover, people may familiarize themselves with the latest samples
of Russian literature and meet with Russian writers, who are the center's
frequent guests," the official said. He said the House of the Russian Book
was the first cultural center to have opened in Central Asia.
According to the official, "The Kyrgyz side was represented by
Parliament Speaker Akhmatbek Keldibekov and First Deputy Prime Minister
Omurbek Babanov, and Russia, by special presidential envoy for
international cultural exchanges Mikhail Shvydkoi, officials of the
Presidential Staff and the Russian Ambassador to Kyrgyzstan, Valentin
Vlasov. "
The Eurasian Research Institute was set up in 2004. Its office opened
in Kyrgyzstan in 2005. The fund's official said, "the Fund's main task is
the development of bilateral cultural partnership."
The Fund pays grants to the best students of Kyrgyz universities. Over
the past six weeks the Fund's personnel carried out several landmark
activities, among them, meetings of Kyrgyz students with Russian
journalists and a conference on the problems of migration of Kyrgyz
citizens to Russia. The fund also held an interregional Kyrgyz-Russian
conference in Bishkek devoted to scientific, technological, cultural and
humanitarian cooperation. Taking part in the conference were governors
from ten Russian regions.