The President’s message of congratulations reads, in particular:
“The holiday of Sagaalgan the lunar New Year, has its roots in the ancient national and religious traditions of the Asian peoples who follow the Buddhist faith. It symbolises the renewal of nature and of the individual, openness and purity of thought and action, and it is a time of hope and expectation.
The spiritual values of Buddhism have stood the test of time and today are helping to bring people closer together and strengthen their spirit of understanding, cooperation and good-neighbourliness.
I am sure that Russia’s Buddhists will continue to make a significant contribution to developing the dialogue between the peoples and religions of our country.”