People walk past a statue of Yuri Gagarin as they visit the Museum of cosmonautics in Moscow, on March 22, 2018. – Officially, Yuri Gagarin died on a plane trying to avoid a weather balloon, but 50 years later, the disappearance of the first man to go into space remains a secret of state, surrounded by mystery. (Photo by Alexander NEMENOV / AFP)
COLOMBO — A delegation from the the newly inaugurated Russia-Sri Lanka Friendship Society would be arriving in Sri Lanka shortly, for the purpose of strengthening bilateral relations, the Russian Center in Colombo has said.
The highlight of the visit would be the unveiling of the bust of Yuri Gagarin – The First Cosmonaut, which would take place at the National Library premises on January 25.
The Russian Center said that the visiting delegation would include some notable individuals like Tokarev Valery Ivanovich, President of the Russia-Sri Lanka Friendship Society, the space pilot, Mayor of Star City and twice Hero of Russia, Polozkov Vladimir Mikhailovich, Deputy Chairman of the Board and Secretary General of the RAIC, Ryzhkov Alexey Petrovich, Vice president of the Friendship Society with Sri Lanka and Co-Chairman of the Russia-Sri Lanka Business Council, Ryzhkov Pyotr Alekseevich, Chairman of the Boards and Sergey Ryzhkov, Board Member of the Russia Sri Lanka Friendship Society.
The Sri Lanka-Russia Friendship Society and the visiting delegation would hold discussions and meetings, to bolster ties between the two countries and also sign a Memorandum of Understanding, to develop mutual understanding, it added.