President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the Peoples' Friendship University of the Russian Federation, especially considering his outstanding contribution towards fostering world peace and his success against terrorism.

This will be awarded during the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Peoples' Friendship University of the Russian Federation that will be held in February 2010.

The official letter informing of the awarding of this degree was handed over to President Rajapaksa by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov.

Following is the text of the press release

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to be awarded an Honorary Doctorate during the 50th Anniversary celebrations of the Peoples' Friendship University of the Russian Federation that will be held in February 2010.

The University by unanimous decision has decided to make the award in recognition of his outstanding contribution towards fostering world peace and for his contribution for the development of comprehensive Sri Lanka - Russia bilateral ties including in the spheres of culture and education. It is understood that President Rajapaksa's success against terrorism has considerably contributed towards the decision by the University to confer the degree.

The official letter informing of the awarding of this degree was handed over to President Rajapaksa by Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, during their meeting when he visited Sri Lanka last week.

The Peoples' Friendship University was established by the USSR government decree on 5th February 1960. On 22nd February 1961 the Peoples' Friendship University was named after Patrice Lumumba, a political and public figure, a poet and also the head of the first people's democratic government of Congo.

The decision to establish the Peoples' Friendship University in the Soviet Union was taken by the Soviet government in response to the requests made by former colonial countries, with the main aim of giving young people from Asia, Africa and Latin America, especially from economically less advantaged families, an opportunity to obtain University education and to become well qualified specialists. The students were admitted through non-governmental organizations, government establishments, and the USSR embassies and consulates.

On 5th February 1992 the university was renamed "Peoples' Friendship University of Russia - state institute of higher education" (PFUR). Since 1995 the University has awarded "Doctor Honoris Causa" to distinguished persons for outstanding academic achievements in the fields of science and education and to world leaders in recognition of their contribution towards fostering world peace. The awardees include 5 Presidents and 2 Prime Ministers from around the globe.