On September 19, the capital of Kalmykia Elista celebrated its 155th anniversary. First President of Kalmykia, sixth President of FIDE Kirsan Ilyumzhinov congratulated the residents of Elista on the City Day. You can watch Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s video message on Twitter, Instagram and, of course, on the home page of our website.There was a time when few people knew about Kalmykia. Our neighbours from Astrakhan and Volgograd sometimes asked: “Elista? Is it somewhere in Asia?" Some reason was needed so that they started talking about us.
The decision came by itself; it was the holding of Chess Olympiad-98. We got down to business immediately and rebuilt a special chess complex called City Chess. The smartest people from all over the planet, hundreds of media crews came to Elista. Now Elista is strongly associated with the chess capital of Russia.
We have done much to revive the national memory and Buddhism as its integral component. The largest in Europe Khurul "Golden Abode of Buddha Shakyamuni" and an Orthodox church were built in Elista. It was very important to find a place for Kalmykia in the modern world. The republic’s economy, trade relations, and industry depended on this.
I am proud of my fellow countrymen: thanks to their creative diligence and love for their native land, we have made Elista one of the important cultural and spiritual centres of modern Russia. I congratulate my fellow countrymen of Elista on the Day of the City, on the Day of Elista! I wish happiness to everyone, health and well-being!"
