Beglov congratulated the winners of the Hermitage Prize

At the end of the XI St.‑The presentation of the Hermitage Prize took place at the St. Petersburg International Forum of United Cultures in the St. George's Hall of the Winter Palace. Alexander Beglov, the Governor of St. Petersburg, congratulated the laureates. This was reported by the Smolny press service.

"Today we are awarding two outstanding people. It is difficult to imagine the cultural life of St. Petersburg without them. Thanks to Mikhail Piotrovsky, the Hermitage is a modern cultural center on a global scale. Theodor Currentzis is one of the brightest conductors of our time, whose work uplifts and unites people," said Alexander Beglov, congratulating the laureates on behalf of the residents of the city and thanking the foreign guests of the forum for their arrival.

This year's prize was awarded to an honorary citizen of St. Petersburg.‑Mikhail Piotrovsky, member of the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Director General of the Hermitage Museum, and Theodor Currentzis, conductor, founder and artistic director of the musicAeterna Orchestra and Choir.

The award was presented to the laureates by Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Tatyana Golikova, Governor of St. Petersburg‑Alexander Beglov of St. Petersburg and Mikhail Piotrovsky, General Director of the State Hermitage Museum.

"I congratulate our laureates and hope that their contribution to the development of Russian and world culture will continue. Thank you, hospitable Saint‑St. Petersburg is grateful that the cultural capital of Russia has hosted the forum for many years. We see a growing interest in this event among the residents of the city. The Forum of United Cultures has shown that Russian culture is irrevocable. This is exactly what many of our guests said during the discussions of the forum. This is a great result of our joint work," Tatiana Golikova said.

"The Hermitage Prize recognizes those cultural figures who are associated with Russia. Real people of culture are always connected with our country in one way or another. The lack of ties with Russia means falling out of the global cultural context. The award and the forum have become an effective mechanism for communication and interaction between Russia and the world, which works well in difficult foreign policy conditions," Mikhail Piotrovsky emphasized.

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