Space Day

Independent Films, Travel, Technology

Speaking from the International Space Station, Cosmonaut Dimitri Kondratayev was one of many looking forward to April 12 as the International Day of Human Space Mission as pronounced last week by the United Nations General Assembly. Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, managed the considerably more elaborate ceremonies on Earth at the United Nations:

The United Nations (UN) passed a resolution today declaring 12 April, “International Day of the Human Space Mission” in honour of Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin’s flight to space 50 years ago.

The initiative was proposed by Russia and supported by 30 countries. At a photo exhibit highlighting the event at headquarters in New York, Russian Ambassador Vitaly Churkin hoped the day would become a universal celebration, saying that “for outer space belongs to us all and we all share the dreams that it inspires.”

Oleg Kotov, the 100th Russian cosmonaut in space, told UNifeed that like every Russian child growing up in the sixties, he was inspired by the figure of Yuri Gagarin.

In the General Assembly, a video message marking the new day was given by Russian cosmonaut Dmitri Kondratyev who is currently on the International Space Station (ISS).

An International Aviation and Cosmonautics Day is celebrated on 12 April in Russia and some other countries.

Transcripts / Production notes / Scripts

50th Anniversary of the first human space flight photo exhibit
3. Zoom out, podium
4. Med shot, Yuri Gagarin on a TV screen
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Vitaly Churkin, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation:
“We hope that this day, April 12, will become a genuinely universal celebration of common aspirations of humanity, for outer space belongs to us all and we all share the dreams that it inspires.”
6. Zoom in, photo of Yuri Gagarin
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Oleg Kotov, Russian Cosmonaut:
“When I was a child, Yuri Gagarin was a really popular person in the Soviet Union, and every boy and girl wants to be a cosmonaut inspired by Yuri Gagarin’s first flight.”

FILE – ROSCOSMOS – RECENT, INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

8. Wide shot, space station
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Dmitri Kondratyev, Russian Cosmonaut:
“From the General Assembly Hall one can see how much remains to be done to stop conflicts, to provide peace and prosperity to all peoples living on our planet. We hope that future generations will be able to celebrate this 12th of April as the International Day of Human Space Flight.”
10. Wide shot, earth

Directors:

• Muhamed Sacirbey UNTV

Producers:

• Susan Sacirbey