President of Russia Vladimir Putin: Friends,
I sincerely congratulate you on this remarkable date, the 60th anniversary of the creation of the Club of the Funny and Inventive, KVN.
The first KVN TV show was aired in November 1961 and immediately became so popular that millions of people rushed to their TV sets at the first sounds of the title sequence. Far from every flat had a TV set back then, so oftentimes all the neighbours got together in front of a single TV to watch it.
KVN dazzled and won people’s hearts with its vibrant and unique format, its abundance of humour, energy and flare. Very soon it grew from simply a TV show into a real youth movement.
KVN used to be played and is still being played in schools and universities, big cities and small settlements. Its popularity has long since extended beyond the borders of our country and, without exaggeration, has taken on an international flavour.
Throughout the decades KVN has become, in essence, a part of our lives, a uniting and bonding link both inside the country and abroad, especially where they know and love the Russian language.
Jokes aside, KVN is rooted not just in humour but also in much deeper things, such as the values of teamwork, fair and open competition, mutual respect and mutual support.
Affection for KVN unites entire generations of spectators and, surely, its participants. People of different ages and professions, both physicists and lyricists alike, so to speak, take pride in belonging to the KVN community. For many young people and students KVN has become a springboard for their future TV, performing and creative careers.
Regardless of its rather mature age, KVN remains young, dynamic and daring. And credit for this mostly rests with Alexander Maslyakov.
I would like to thank Alexander Maslyakov once again from the bottom of my heart and congratulate him on this anniversary, and it is my hope that the Club of the Funny and Inventive will always maintain at the highest level its powerful wave of humour, wit and fighting spirit.
Congratulation on this holiday – KVN’s anniversary!