On the activities dedicated to the 50th anniversary of first manned spaceflight

Work associated with the significant date was based on a comprehensive plan, developed jointly by the Consulate General and the Russian Centre of Science and Culture (RCSC) in Karachi. The plan included cultural, informational and sports events.
1. Cultural events:
The opening of the Philatelic Exhibition devoted to the 50 years of Yuri Gagarin's flight took place in the RCSC on March 19. Pakistani collector Mr. A. Balgamwala has given that collection of stamps on space matters.
The children's painting competition on space exploration with the participation of pupils of the school of the Consulate General of Russia and several schools of Karachi was held at the RCSC on March 26. The winners were awarded prizes and diplomas at the RCSC on April 1. By the end of the official part, a documentary about Yuri Gagarin was shown.
The photo exhibition "Russia - a space power" was opened at the RCSC on April 9. The exhibition aroused considerable interest. The opening was attended by representatives of press, the Consuls General of Afghanistan, Indonesia, China, France and Japan. A documentary on Russia's space program was also shown.
A film showing of domestic films on the prospects of space exploration was organized at the RCSC on April 20 and 27. Members of the consular corps, honorary consuls in Karachi, representatives of political parties, local journalists were invited to view the films "Towards the Dream" and "Planet of Storms".
2. Informational events:
In January 2011 a special section dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the First Manned Spaceflight was opened on the official website of the Consulate General.
On April 5, 2011 in his speech at the Institute of Business and Technology on "The Revival of the Russian Federation: challenges, responses and strategies" the Consul General mentioned a subject of the Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's flight. Information about the speech was published in The Financial Daily and the Jang on April 8, 2011.
A briefing on the 50th Anniversary of the First Manned Flight into outer space by Yuri Gagarin was held at the Consulate General on April 11, 2011. During the briefing, the audience was told about Russia's plans to continue space exploration. Briefing materials were sent to the Pakistani media as a press release of the Consulate General.
On April 14, 2011 a letter from the Consul General was published in the Dawn. In that letter the Consul General assesses the unscrupulous publications in the Pakistani press that appeared at the instigation of the Western media, narrating about the "stagnation" of the Russian space program. The main areas of the space exploration program developed in Russian for the period until 2030 simultaneously was outlined in the letter.
Information about the celebration of the 50 years of Yuri Gagarin's flight in Russia passed by channel Express 24/7 on April 11 and 13, 2011 and was published in the Dawn on April 11 and 13, 2011, in the Business Recorder - on April 13, 2011 and in the Pakistani edition of the International Herald Tribune on April 13, 2011.
3. Sports events:
In February - March 2011 at the RCSC a chess tournament dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the First Manned Spaceflight took place. The tournament was attended by members of the Pakistan Chess Association, of which there were two international grandmasters. The winners were awarded prizes with a portrait of Yuri Gagarin.
Sports competitions for the Gagarin Cup in volleyball, indoor football and table tennis was held at the Consulate General in March - April 2011. The teams and individual athletes from Germany, Iran, China, UAE, Oman and Pakistan attended the competition along with Russian teams.
Sports Awards Ceremony was planned for May 8, 2011.