Ceremonies were held in the Yaroslavl region to mark the 63rd anniversary of Valentina Tereshkova's journey into space. Regional Governor Mikhail Yevrayev said the celebrations served as a fresh reminder of the significance Tereshkova holds for both national and world cosmonautics history.
Yevrayev recounted how Tereshkova launched from Baikonur aboard Vostok-6 on 16 June 1963 and flew solo for nearly three days. The governor also stressed that no other woman in the world has repeated this flight.
According to the regional administration, Tereshkova also serves as an experienced politician and State Duma deputy who defends the region's interests at the federal level. Yevrayev said that with her support, funding was secured for factory, school, kindergarten, hospital and road projects in the Yaroslavl region.
The governor noted that the renovation of the bridge in Rybinsk, along with structures such as a theatre, a river port and a planetarium, are among the projects brought to life with this backing. According to the region, a violin-making school unique in Russia was established with Tereshkova's contribution, and the "Kogan Festival" is also held thanks to this support.
Tereshkova's support for educational institutions, her encouragement of young people and her charitable activities were also highlighted during the celebrations. Yevrayev stated that she aims to carry her hometown forward and remains ready to continue efforts to improve the quality of life.
Tereshkova, for her part, expressed her affection for the Yaroslavl region. Saying that a love for her homeland had been instilled in her within the family since childhood, Tereshkova praised the industriousness of the region's people and said they are ready to contribute to making their homeland even more beautiful.
As part of the celebrations, a concert was held at the Millennium concert hall. The event also featured the presentation of a multimedia project titled "Valentina's Legend," which draws on photo and video archives documenting the preparation of the first space flights and Tereshkova's life.
Yaroslavl Region Minister of Culture and Tourism Svetlana Kostishina said Tereshkova's name carries special meaning for the people of the region. Kostishina recalled that the first female cosmonaut was born on Yaroslavl soil, spent her childhood and youth here, and began her working life as well as her first steps on the path to space in this region.
