News

16 November 2009
SAINT-PETERSBURG WAS AWARDED THE UNESCO TOLERANCE PRIZE

Saint-Petersburg is one of the most multinational Russian cities – people of more than 150 nationalities live here. Annually hundreds of thousands of foreign citizens arrive in Saint-Petersburg with the aim of searching a job or obtaining higher education in prestigious universities of the city.
This year Saint-Petersburg was awarded honourable UNESCO prize for promotion and realization of ideas of tolerance, which lead to achievement of the best results in maintaining international relations between inhabitants and visitors of Saint-Petersburg. Thus, Saint-Petersburg was recognized as the most tolerant city in the world.
UNESCO tolerance prize was established in 1995, and since then is awarded twice a year to people, organizations and cities, which made exceptional contribution to the support of ideas of tolerance. This prize should facilitate promotion of ideas of tolerance through such spheres as education, culture, science, communication, and also should further public recognition of efforts, aimed at spreading ideas of tolerance.
International jury, composed of the representatives of countries-members of UNESCO, unanimously voted for awarding the honourable prize to Saint-Petersburg. Presentation of the prize to Saint-Petersburg will take place in Paris (France) on the 16th of November, 2009 on the International day of tolerance, declared by UNESCO. The prize will be awarded by the new director general of UNESCO Irina Bokova (Bulgaria) on the first day of her entrance upon her duties.