Pushkin Monument to Be Erected in Brazil

A monument to Russian poet Alexander Pushkin will soon be erected in Brazil. This was confirmed by president of the regional organisation for scientific, cultural and economic cooperation with Brazil Boris Komissarov, who spoke to a Rosbalt correspondent.

Komissarov said that there are also discussions underway in Brazil concerning a possible monument to the Russian scientist and diplomat Grigory Langsdorf. This project may be discussed during Russian President Putin's upcoming trip to Brazil. In Komissarov's opinion this visit will take place before May 2003.

'Relations between Russia and Brazil have been planned in advance,' the Smolny academic said at a ceremony where he received the Brazilian Rio Branko award. He said that this award was a result of his 45 years of work in the sphere of Brazilian history and relations between Russia and Brazil.

The Rio Branco award was established in 1963 in memory of the famous and respected diplomat Rio Branco. The award is given for services to Brazil. Boris Komissarov was the first Russian to receive this award.