President of Russia Dmitry Medvedev: Hello, friends,
I would like to sincerely congratulate you on Russian Science Day. This is a truly major national event. The First Russian Science Festival, which is taking place here, in these walls, is also a major event. I hope that those of you present truly want to work in science and are already doing so.
This festival used to be based at Moscow State University, and then, at the rector’s suggestion, we made it a National Russian Science Festival. I am very pleased that today, you are meeting here to hear lectures and talk to one another. I also know that some Olympiad winners are present here, which is very important.
In addition, here today are winners of state awards for young scientists, to whom I presented these awards earlier today. I want to once again congratulate them, for the fifth time, I think. I feel this is a very important result, because we have begun granting prizes not only based on the results of scientific work, which I also spoke about earlier, but also for the contribution by young specialists and scientists whose scientific careers are just beginning, yet they have already made their contribution to the development of Russian science. And I think it is a good sign that this is taking place in the Kremlin. Afterwards, I spoke with some of the young scientists, who told me about the problems existing in our nation, as well as prospects for the future.
I would like to use this opportunity again to say that naturally, the development of science in our nation has followed a very difficult path over the last twenty years. At the same time, in recent years, we have made some progress. It concerns everything ranging from scientific infrastructure, acquiring new equipment, and research funding to social standards, living standards for specialists and scientists for whom these areas represent their main professional activities.
We are still at the beginning of the road, but our nation is committed to promoting the development of science and supporting researchers, making it one of its top priorities. I have continuously stated this on many occasions. And even the concept of our nation’s development that is being carried out today, the concept for modernising our nation, including technological modernisation – we understand that it cannot resolve these challenges if no investment is made in science, fundamental sciences and applied research. And I would very much like for everyone here today to remember this, to believe in Russia’s potential and to believe in their own potential.
I wish you all success in your work and I hope that you will have a great time socialising here at the Polytechnic Museum. I hope that the science festival will become a traditional annual event for many years to come.
I wish you prosperity and all the very best. Congratulations once again.