The ceremony held on Russia Day and Penza City Day on 12 June 2018 was attended by the governor.
Ivan Belozertsev particularly noted that the ceremony participants witnessed a historic event.
“Recently we received a letter from the past, from the Soviet era. And today we pass this historic baton to those who will be born tomorrow, who will live in Penza and love this city as we all love it,” the head of the region said.
He added that the letter is addressed to those who will “walk along these streets, date on this embankment, give birth and bring up children, construct houses and roads, kindergartens and cultural centres, set trees and dream about the future”.
The capsule was buried in the Memorial Stele “Glory to the Heroes” near the Monument “Rostok” (“The Sprout”). It contains at once two letters, i.e. the official message and the appeal of citizens.
The last document was written by ordinary residents of the city, from schoolchildren to veterans.
“These are the hopes and aspirations of your fathers and mothers, grandparents and great- grandparents. Accept the mantle of goodness and creativity. Do everything possible to prevent wars on the planet,” the contemporaries appeal.
The message mentions the milestones of the city’s development and achievements over the past years. That is the construction of significant facilities, new transport routes, promotion of international cooperation and high visibility of Penza products.
“Today, in 2018, we want you to feel the strong pulse of life in Penza with the population of over half a million. Penza is a recognised industrial and educational centre of Russia, it also takes the leading positions in healthcare and culture,” the document states.
Such remarkable event as the launch of the spacecraft “Yuri Gagarin”, which international crew was led by Penza native Aleksandr Samokutyaev, was reflected in the historical message.
“Live in peace and friendship! Work towards your goals. Wend your way through life with confidence, so that you can proudly say to yourself: “We are from Penza!”” The letter to future generations from the city residents ends.
It is planned to open the capsule and read these messages in 2063, when Penza will celebrate the 400th anniversary.
“The capsule with letters is a kind of time machine that connects people of different epochs, makes them closer, and helps parents and their children to understand each other. I want you to live in peace and work for our city and Russia as a whole,” the governor concluded.
Following the ceremony, the floral tributes were laid to the Memorial Stele “Glory to the Heroes” and the event participants were photographed.
The group photo will go down in history along with similar pictures of 1967 and 1977.
