Photo © kremlin.ru

Today, on 27 June 2018, a festive ceremony of presenting high state awards was held in the Ekaterininsky Hall of the Grand Kremlin Palace. At the ceremony, President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin presented the Order “For Merit to the Fatherland”, 3rd degree, to Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research Academician V.A. Matveev for his significant contribution to the development of science and education, training of qualified specialists and for his long-term conscientious work.

At the awarding ceremony, Russian President presented state awards to scientists, cultural workers, sportsmen, astronauts, health care workers and agricultural workers. Thirty five Russian citizens, each of whom has achieved outstanding results in their field of activity, received orders, badges and signs of awarding honorary titles from the head of the state.

In the speech delivered at the awarding ceremony, Vladimir Putin addressed the winners: “Your life is an example of hard work, daring efforts, dedication to your profession and, of course, personal responsibility for the fate of our country, the desire to do as much as possible for it: to achieve breakthroughs, to reach new heights, to change life for the better.”

Introducing JINR Director Academician V.A. Matveev to the audience, President of the Russian Federation said the following: “The desire to move beyond the familiar, to expand the boundaries of knowledge is the main quality of world-famous scientists. Of course, Victor A. Matveev, Director of the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, is among such scientists. His research interest is particle physics. Victor Anatolievich pays special attention to development of international cooperation in this sphere. In this regard, I would like to highlight that support for fundamental research, mega-science projects will be continued. This is the basis for the scientific and technological breakthrough that we need to achieve in the interests of the country’s development and improvement of the living standards of our citizens.”

Academician V.A. Matveev in his reply addressed the Head of the State: “It is an honour to get such a high award from President in this historic hall of the Kremlin. I receive this state award as recognition of the contribution our international, intergovernmental organization named “The Joint Institute for Nuclear Research” in Dubna makes to develop international scientific and technological cooperation, to strengthen contacts between scientists all over the world.”

I would like to take this opportunity, and on behalf of the multinational staff of our international scientific organization, which brings together scientists and specialists from 18 Member States and six Associate Members, I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Government of Russia and to you personally, dear Vladimir Vladimirovich, for excellent conditions provided to our Institute for its work and for your active support of implementation of the unique scientific mega-science project, creation of a scientific complex of superconducting accelerator rings with colliding beams of heavy ions, which is widely known in the world as the project of the NICA heavy ion collider.

As a member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, I would like to say that I firmly believe that the strategy of long-term scientific and technological development in Russia worked out on your initiative will allow us to bring our fundamental science and higher education to the most advanced level in the world. Our Institute will continue to develop following the high principles, which can be briefly expressed by the slogan: “Science bringing nations together”.

Colleagues, friends, pupils and the multinational staff of JINR congratulate Victor Anatolievich on being decorated with the high State Award!