| Speech at a Meeting with Rasul Gamzatov.Part 1 September 8, 2003 Bocharov Ruchei Residence, Sochi Вступительное слово на встрече с поэтом Расулом Гамзатовым 8 сентября 2003 года Сочи, Бочаров Ручей VLADIMIR PUTIN: Esteemed Rasul Gamzatovich, Dear friends, First of all, allow me once more to welcome you from all my heart and say how happy we, and everyone in Russia who loves you, are to see you in good health. It gives us great pleasure to be able to congratulate today on the occasion of your eightieth birthday. For many decades now it has been impossible to imagine this countrys political and public life, not to speak of its literary life, without the name of Rasul Gamzatov. Millions of people know your name and devotedly call you their favourite poet. Today, many of your admirers are here, even though this hall is small. But our country is big and it loves you. It loves you for your great sincerity and for the elegant way in which you teach us fundamental human values such as friendship, loyalty and conscience. You have received many awards and titles, but the greatest among them is that of Peoples Poet. You are a poet not only of your own people, the Avar people, and not only of the people of Dagestan. We are all proud to be able to call you a great Russian poet. Your name, Rasul, means representative or messenger. Through your life and work you have always lived up to this high calling. You are undoubtedly a representative of the entire Russian people, a representative ... |
