I am a citizen of Kalmyk Republic

               400 years ago our ancestors eternally threw in themselves lot with Russia. The Kalmyk people not only preserved his mother-tongue and traditions but then expanded his culture. Just with Russian State the Kalmyk people overcame difficulties in his history, remained faithful to given oath: “ Forever with Russia!”

We have common fate and mother country. The future of our Republic is connected with the great native land. The celebration of 400-th voluntary entry in the Russian State facilitates consolidation of unity the Russian Federation, peace and harmony in our common place.

               The Kalmyk  people are the only Asian Buddhists living on the territory of Europe. The  Kalmyk  ancestors  used to live in Central Asia. In the second half of the 16th century a small part of  Oyrat  tribes separated from the rest of the people to leave for the Volga banks and under the name of Khalimag travelled as far as the Don River. They became reliable guards of the Russian southern boarders. Preserving  nomadic way of  life, ethnic unity, the Buddhist faith and high military spirit the Kalmyks shared all troubles of the historical fate of Russia: its glory, wars and revolutions. The Kalmyk swift and indomitable cavalry contributed a lot to the victories of the Russian army in the Crimea-Turkish campaign, the Persian marsh, the Poltava battle and defeat of the Napoleon’s troops. Common Kalmyks participated actively in peasant wars of Razin, Bulavin, Pugachov.

             There are a lot of dramatic and tragic moments in the history of the Kalmyks.  In 1771 discontented  by the pressure of  the Tsar government a group of influential noyons  headed by the Prince Ubushi led their people back to Jungaria. The resettling was hasty and exhausting. Less than half of the gone had reached the gain. Nearly 150 thousand ancestors inhabit Sintszian-Uigurski autonomous region of China now. A group of the Kalmyk uluses, remained in Russia in 1771, soon lost the status of Khanate. From the end of the 18th century the gradual process of the settled way of life began. During the Civil War a group of the Kalmyks, supporting the White Guard, left Russia and formed some settlements still existing in France, in the USA and in other countries. In December of 1943 all the Kalmyk people according to Stalin’s order was exiled to Siberia. The Kalmyks were in the status of special migrants and it infringed upon their civil and human rights. The losses which the Kalmyk people have sustained during stalinist  deportation are innumerable. The pain and echo of this tragedy is still in every family. The 28th of  December is announced to be “The Memory Day”.

              In 1957 the status of the Republic was reestablished. In spite of all sufferings the people has survived, has not dissolved in the multi-national Russia, in Chine, in the distant of America. The culture of the Kalmyk people is unique. Buddhism brought them the light of high philosophy, many-sided knowledge. The Oyrat-Kalmyks had an experience in statehood, their own legislation, writing. The great Oyrat enlightener and preacher of Buddhism Zaya-Pandita founded in 1648 a particular alphabet  “Todo bichig” - “clear writing”. The Kalmyks used it till 1924. The pearl of the Kalmyk folklore is “Dzhangar”- an epic narration about the land of happiness and prosperity “Bumba” and its heroes’ deeds.

               I want to give the names of the Kalmyk people who played an important role in the history of Russia. They are a real admiral and the first town major of  Kronshtadt, an author of sea manual Denis Kalmykov, the first hydraulic engineer of  Russia Mikhail Serdyukov, the painter Fyodor Kalmyk. Works by the national poet David  Kugultinov have been translated into the languages of many peoples of the world.

                  We must remember the names of Heroes of Great Patriotic War such as Oka Ivanovich Gorodovikov, Basan Badminovich Gorodovikov, Erdni Delikov, Badmaev Erentsen Lidzhievich, Mikhail Khoninov and many others.     Gorodovikov Oka Ivanovich was born on the first of October 1897 in the family of Cossack Kalmyk. He spent his childhood and youth in Salsk steppe. Gorodovikov O.I. took part in the First World war and the Civil War. In the beginning of Great Patriotic War O. I. Gorodovikov was the eighth army commander of North – West front. He took part in the battle of Stalingrad at the end of 1942.    The monument to Oka Ivanovich Gorodovikov is  situated in Elista since 1976. The author of the monument is Nikita Amoldanovich Sandzhiev.               

                 In the middle of July 1942 Delikov E.T. was the commander of detachment the anti-tank gun. He was ordered to hold the line near the Don river Rostov region. During of six days the detachment led by Delikov held the line. He destroyed three armoured carriers, three lorries with 60 fascists. He was deadly wounded and died valiantly. Erdni Delikov was a brave soldier, he wasn’t afraid of the enemy, even when the enemy was very strong. Erdni Delikov was the first kalmyk which was awarded with gold medal « Hero of the Soviet Union».

                 On the 9 -th of August 1945 the commander of infantry company the 144 th infantry division the fifth Army the Far East front the senior lieutenant Badmaev E.L. went over the border, took the offensive and attacked very fortified height of Japanese. He set up the Red flag on the height. In this battle the soldiers of infantry company under the command of the senior lieutenant Badmaev E.L. destroyed 35 Japanese soldiers and officers, captured two cannons, five machine-guns and many others. The infantry company led by Badmaev pursued the enemy, moved deep into 120 kilometers  forward Manchzhuria. Badmaev E.L. was wounded but didn’t leave the field of battle.

                 On the 29 -th of July 1944 the184-th infantry division led by the Hero of the Soviet Union B.B.Gorodovikov pierced the enemy’s defences, captured the important key-point macadamized road. The division of B.B. Gorodovikov caused damage to the fascist’s troops. During of these battles 1410 German soldiers and officers were killed, 19 tanks, four armoured carriers, seven lorries, 66 machine-guns, three mortars were destructed. During the Great Patriotic War the devision under the general’s  command was the first to reach the German border. B.B. Gorodovikov was a noble, honest man, devoted to his country and his people. He loved his  soldiers and they loved him. The general  Gorodovikov took over the parade of soviet troops on the territory of Germany.

 In November 2010 the Kalmyk people celebrated 100 years from the birth the  Hero of the Soviet Union, general and statesman Basan Badminovich  Gorodovikov. From 1961 up 1978 B.B. Gorodovikov was in charge of the Republic which had been reconstructing and developing its economy, education and culture.

              Now a post of the head of Republic Kalmykia is Alexey Orlov. K.N.Ilyumzhinov has been President of FIDE since 1995. There are three flags above the House of Government in  Elista: the flag of Kalmykia, the flag of Russia and FIDE’s flag. We are hosted several Russian and world chess championships. Kalmyk chess-players acquire skill, take part in prestige tournaments.

                Nowadays the Kalmyk Republic as well as the whole Russia is on the way of great changes. Transitions to the market relations stimulate the searching of their own ways of the social-economic development. The horizons of international collaboration expand the culture and the religion of the Kalmyks, the Russians and the other nations, inhabiting the Republic, revive. I am proud of our ancestors, the Republic and believe that the Kalmyk people with creative and painstaking work will make our native land powerful and prosperous.