Fedor Konyukhov Will Continue the “Great Silk Road” on Tuvan Horses

Unforeseen circumstances, which brought the famous traveler Fedor Konyukhov to Tuva, became a basis for a press-conference, which took place on June 16 in the Government House.

Vice-Premier of the Government of Republic Tuva Anatolii Damba-Khuurak, minister of health protection of the republic, Aleksandr Oorzhak, and a representative of the government of Kalmykia, the curator of the project “Along the Great Silk Road”, writer and savant Vasilii Tserenov met with local journalists to answer their questions.

Opening the meeting, Vice-Premier Anatolii Damba-Khuurak briefly informed the press about the events which resulted in a change of plans of the participants in the international expedition, and gave the word to the guest from Kalmykia.

Vasilii Tserenov started by transmitting a message from Fedor Konyukhov from June 15.

The leader of the expedition “Along the Great Silk Road” expressed sincere gratitude to Tuvan health workers for accurate diagnosis and successful treatment. The traveler expressed firm confidence that thanks to the doctors’ help he will soon be able to re-join the expedition.

In his turn, Vasilii Tserenov, in the name of the head of Kalmykia, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, and in his own name personally thanked the government of Tuva and its Premier Sholban Kara-ool, who so promptly responded to the request for Fedor Konyukhov’s hospitalization in one of Kyzyl hospitals.

-The occasion for our acquaintance with Tuva, which I even earlier believed to be a close relative of Kalmykia, turned out not to be very cheerful,- Tserenov shared his impressions of the republic. – But thanks to this, I came to understand that we are even closer than I believed. In the first place, the Buddhist renaissance in your country is much more deeply based than in Kalmykia. Second, and this was a pleasant surprise, our languages are very similar lexically. If I could live here for 2-3 months, I would become fluent in Tuvan language. Your National Museum made an immense impression on me. Because of the value and variety of the antiquities in its collection, it will certainly become one of the leading museums of the country. In any case, our recently opened National Museum of Kalmykia has a lot to learn from you.

We have de facto already reached an agreement about co-operation in the field of museum work, as well as with your scientists in the Institute of Humanitarian Research. Meetings with the first vice-premier Sholban Irgit, vice-premier Anatolii Damba-Khuurak, and other members of the government of Tuva convinced me that we will find many other fields for co-operation between our regions, which are so far from each other, yet so close. The most important thing, as this accident with Fedor Konyukhov showed, is that in Tuva, there live sincere and honest people, to whom I say from all my heart: ”Thank you!”.

On the request of the press, the representative of Kalmykia told them about the goals and tasks of the project. The international expedition “Along the Great Silk Road” was organized as one of the activities dedicated to the 400^th voluntary entrance of Kalmykia into the state system of Russia. The task of the expedition is to repeat this journey, which is about 7,000 kilometers long, and which our ancestors – western Mongols – used to make centuries ago, from the walls of China to the shores of Volga.

Among the goals is the affirmation of friendship and mutual understanding among the nations of Russia, and development of Russian-Mongol relations.

There are about 20 participants in the expedition: sociologists, ecologists, drivers, animal caretakers and drivers, health workers. The financing is provided by sponsorship by Russian, Mongolian, and also Czech companies and firms.

The expedition started on May 13 from Ulan-Bator. The head of the government of Russia, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, who was meeting with his colleague in Mongolia, wished them a good journey.

A warm welcome was ready for the travelers in the ancient capital of Mongolia, Karakorum. Currently the expedition has passed through Ulangom and is approaching the Russian-Mongolian border. The “Caravan of History”, going at the rate of 25 - 30 kilometers per day, will get to Elist in October, where at that time there will be celebrations of the 400^th Anniversary of the entrance of Kalmykia into the Russian system.

As one of the results of the expedition, a book will be published, and as Vasilii Tserenov believes, a “Tuvan chapter” will take a prominent place.

The answer to the question whether Fedor Konyukhov’s health condition will have an influence on the schedule of the expedition, was that there will be no change of schedule.

After leaving Mongolia, the travelers will go to Republic Altai, now already with the transportation of their own country – Tuvan horses. Agreement about obtaining 10 heads of horses has already been reached. Beside that, two Tuvan guard dogs will also join the expedition. As far as the Mongolian animals of the expedition are concerned, they will stay in their country, because of complex veterinary and sanitary procedures required to pass the border. After the expedition participates in the Days of Kalmykia in Republic Altai, it will continue the journey. It is expected that Fedor Konyukhov will be able to re-join the expedition while it is still on Mongolian territory. This expectation is realistic, because as the minister of Health protection of Tuvam Aleksandr Oorzhak announced at the press-conference, the patient’s condition is currently good. It is expected that Konyukhov will be discharged from the hospital at the end of this week.

In conclusion of the meeting, Anatolii Damba-Khuurak requested Vasilii Tserenov in the name of the government and the entire multi-national population of Tuva to transmit brotherly greetings and best wishes to the population of Kalmykia, and wished a “silk” journey and a “white road” to the participants of the expedition.