YURI GAGARIN ... OPENS YURI GAGARIN MEMORIAL READINGS








GAGARIN /Smolensk Region/, March 9, 2001 /Vladimir Korolyov, RIA Novosti Correspondent/ -- International public science readings dedicated to the 67th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin were opened Friday by the space pioneer's grandson, who also happens to be Yuri Gagarin.


	He arrived with Cosmonaut Alexei Leonov and took part in the ceremony alongside People's Performer of the USSR Iosif Kobzon. Cosmonauts Sergei Krikalyov and Yuri Gidzenko greeted the opening ceremony from the space orbit.


	The participants of the ceremony include Cosmonaut Pilots of the USSR and Russia, US astronauts, senior Rosaviacosmos officials, Baikonur launch pad veterans, scientists, and representatives of Russia's and Ukraine's Cosmonautics Federations.


	Earlier, Russian cosmonauts and US astronauts visited Gagarin's native village of Klushino, 20 kilometers away from the town of Gagarin. There they tasted water from the renowned Gagarin well. An old space tradition holds that the one has tasted water from the Klushino well is sure to come back here from space and drink the water once again.