Dear people of Ulan-Ude! With all my heart, I congratulate you on a wonderful celebration - the Day of the City!
The capital of the Buryatia Republic managed to preserve and enhance the immortal glory of its ancestors for 349 years. It is not accidental that Ulan-Ude, having the truly unique cultural heritage, is on the list of the historical cities of Russia since 1990. This is a great, modern city, where the deep respect to the past combines with the confidently modelling of the future.
Today Ulan-Ude is a large industrial, scientific, educational, cultural and spiritual centre of the Eastern Siberia, where coexist in peace and complete harmony the followers of the Buddhist, Orthodox and other traditional faiths.
I wish all the residents of this beautiful capital of the Buryatia a good health, happiness and prosperity!
Kirsan Ilyumzhinov,
the President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE)
