Greetings to Director of the State Hermitage Mikhail Piotrovsky

The message reads, in part:

"For many years, you have been at the helm of the renowned State Hermitage, dedicating yourself selflessly to your vocation and making an unparalleled contribution to the preservation of humanity's priceless historical, cultural, and spiritual heritage."

Mikhail Piotrovsky, a Russian historian specialising in Asian studies, has served as Director of the State Hermitage since 1992. The Hermitage is the biggest art, cultural and historical museum in Russia and one of the largest in the world.