Islamabad : A monument honouring Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human to journey into space and return, has been unveiled here at the Fatima Jinnah Park in F-9.
Gagarin made history in April 1961 when he launched aboard Vostok-1, shouting his iconic “Let’s go!” as the rocket lifted off from Kazakhstan.
His 108-minute flight ended with a parachute landing in a field in Russia’s Saratov region, cementing his place in global space history.
The ceremony was attended by Russian Energy Minister Sergei Tsivilev, Power Minister Awais Leghari, Russian Ambassador Albert P. Khorev, Pakistan’s envoy to Moscow Faisal Niaz Tirmizi and pilot-cosmonaut Elena Serova.
“This is a landmark achievement in our shared human story… may space research benefit all nations,” Tsivilev said.
The unveiling was timed with the 10th meeting of the Russia-Pakistan Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
The Russian embassy thanked the International Charitable Fund Dialogue of Cultures -- United World for donating the bust, the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange for supporting its installation and Pakistani authorities for facilitating the project.
Tsivilev also announced that a Russia-Pakistan conference on cosmonautics and space infrastructure will be held in Islamabad next year.
