Kalmykia’s outgoing Ilyumzhinov to focus on three social and charity projects

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov Moscow, September 8 (Itar-Tass) – Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, when he steps down as head of the republic of Kalmykia, will remain in the republic to focus on three social and charity projects.

“I was born in Kalmykia, I have worked here, and I am not going to leave, I’m staying in the republic to focus on three projects,” he told a news conference on Wednesday.

Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, currently chief of the world chess federation FIDE, said he would continue to “promote chess and to ensure Elista should remain the center of the chess sport. He hopes to see the day when “in all 170 countries that are members of this organization instruction in the game of chess has been included in school curricula.

In Kalmykia, he said, this has been done already.

Also, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov plans to finish the project for building the Orthodox Church of Great Martyr Panteleimon. He recalled that two years ago, “Patriarch Kirill, who was then a metropolitan, visited Kalmykia and participated in the stone laying ceremony at the site where the church will be built.”

And finally, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov’s third old-time wish is “to arrange for the Dalai Lama’s pastoral visit to Kalmykia, where he would be able to meet with his flock.”

He recalled that Kalmykia had Europe’s largest Buddhist temple.

Ilyumzhinov also drew media attention to the fact that in his region, there had been no terrorist attacks or major disturbances, although it is a multi-religious republic.

In recent years, there were built 46 Buddhist temples, 22 Orthodox churches, one catholic Cathedral, and a mosque.


Golden temple

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