President Putin Institutes Medal "For Contribution to Taking the All-Russian Census"

President Vladimir Putin has instituted a medal "For Contribution to taking the All-Russian census," the presidential press-service has informed RIA Novosti.

The medal is instituted "for the purpose of rewarding people who contributed greatly to preparing and carrying out the 2002 All-Russian census." It is a common practice in the Russian awarding experience to mark the most important events in the life of the country by instituting medals.

The history of the medal instituted by the President dates back to November 21st, 1896, when a medal "For work in the First General Census" was instituted. People who voluntarily assumed the responsibility of census takers, as well as those who supervised or carried out the census were awarded with this medal.

The 1896 medal was coined at the Mint in St Petersburg with the official circulation of 95,000 medals, which, according to historians, "was not enough."