The Russian Academy Of Arts

Former French President Jacques Chirac has been awarded the 2007 State Prize of the Russian Federation for humanitarian activities. The President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab Tsereteli has welcomed the award that, as he believes, acknowledges Chirac’s services in the development of cultural ties between France and Russia.

“Jacques Chirac has gone wisdom by experiencing the school of General Charles de Gaulle and is equally true to the dialogue and friendly relations between the two nations” – commented the Russian sculptor who first got acquainted with France  in the early 1960s.   

Three years ago in Moscow was inaugurated a monument to General Charles de Gaulle designed by Zurab Tsereteli. The sculptor said that he had presented a small replica of the monument to Jacques Chirac who was present at the unveiling ceremony. “It has come from my heart as a token of my deep respect to him”.

Zurab Tsereteli also noted that the State Prize of the Russian Federation awarded to the former French President is a good prologue to the Year of Russia in France to be held in 2010 simultaneously with the Year of France in Russia. “For the promotion of future relations between the two countries it is obtaining a special significance”.

Among the proposals made by Tsereteli to his French associates are an exhibition of Pablo Picasso’s work in the Russian Academy of Arts and an exhibition of Russian avant-garde art in the George Pompidou Center in Paris. Zurab Tsereteli also plans to negotiate with France an arrangement of several other major exhibitions exposing the development of diverse art schools and trends. “It is of big importance to accompany such displays with symposiums on modern art problems, conferences on the history of our bilateral relations”- added the President of the Russian Academy of Arts.

 

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