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Year of Russia in Netherlands/Year of Netherlands in Russia launched

The President and Queen Beatrix unveiled a plaque commemorating the official start of the reciprocal cultural years

Photo ITAR-TASS

Photo ITAR-TASS

AMSTERDAM, April 8 (Itar-Tass) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands opened the Year of Russia in the Netherlands and Year of the Netherlands in Russia.

The opening ceremony took place at the Hermitage on the Amstel Museum on Monday, April 8.

The museum is a branch of the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, one of the world’s biggest museums. The Hermitage on the Amstel was opened in Amsterdam in 2009. Mr Putin and Queen Beatrix visited the exhibition, Peter the Great: the Inspired Tsar, which opened in March. The exhibition presents Peter the Great (1672-1725), one of the most well-known figures in Russian history in the Netherlands.

The President and Queen Beatrix unveiled a plaque commemorating the official start of the reciprocal cultural years, and Putin signed the distinguished visitors’ book, the presidential press service said.

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