Russian President Vladimir Putin has declared 2007 the Year of the Russian Language. To celebrate and promote the Russian language, more than 900 events have been organised in 80 countries around the world, including Hungary, Russia's ambassador to Hungary Igor Savolskiy announced.
A joint committee of Hungarian and Russian historians will organise two conferences: 1917 and The World, to be held in Budapest, and Two Empires, Multiple Nationalities, which will be held in St. Petersburg, said Gyula Szvák, a university lecturer who chairs the Foundation for Russian Language and Culture.
Even some events which are not directly related to the Year of the Russian Language will take on special significance in light of the year's theme, Savolskiy said. The Russian pianist Mikhail Pletnov and the Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov will perform at this year's Budapest Spring Festival, and the Moscow Patriarchy Orthodox Choir will sing at a number of performances in Budapest and other cities around the country. There are also plans to invite Igor Moiseyev's dance troupe and Moscow's Bolshoi Ballet for guest performances in Hungary, Savolskiy said.
A recent survey by pollster TÁRKI showed that 61 percent of Hungarians support steps to encourage closer cultural and scientific ties between Hungary and Russia.
Some 350 million people speak Russian around the world, including 200 million Russians, making it the world's fourth most spoken language.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI)
