Canada presents sculpture to St Petersburg

The opening ceremony of the Inukshuk sculpture, Canada's official gift to St. Petersburg for its 300th anniversary, will be held in St. Petersburg on December 3.

The sculpture is displayed at the Institute of Northern Peoples at the Herzen Russian State Teachers Training University. The institute prepares its students to teach in northern regions, Siberia and the Russian Far East. Students study the cultural potential northern peoples.

The university said Canada's gift would remind visitors that preserving and developing the North unite the two countries.

Inukshuk is made of stone and has a human form. The aboriginal people of the northern Canada mark a significant place with such sculptures and use them as a pointer.

David Ruben Piqtoukun, a well-known Canadian sculptor, created the sculpture. His work has been shown at many Canadian museums and 50 exhibitions.

The ceremony will take place within the framework of the first official visit of ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of Canada to the Russian Federation Christopher Westdal to St. Petersburg and complete the program prepared by Canada to St. Petersburg's jubilee.