Putin honored contributions of outstanding Russians during the event in science, culture, humanitarian and other fields.
Miran is the first Kurd to receive the Pushkin Medal, an award named after Russian poet Alexander Pushkin. It has been presented since 1999 to personalities who have made significant contributions to research, preservation, and promotion of Russian culture in the fields of culture, arts, and humanities.
The Kurdish scholar, a sociology expert who has played a prominent role in Kurdistan's political movement, referred in his speech to the "long-standing and strong relations" between Kurdistan and Russia, where he himself as an ethnographer has always been a supporter and collaborator.
“Between Kurdistan and the Russian Federation, there are long-standing and solid relations. From my side, I have always supported these relations and confirmed my participation in the friendship between both sides,” Miran said during a speech at the event.
Miran thanked Putin in both Russian and Kurdish languages, asking for more Russian sources on Kurds to be available.
“I would like to convey a request to you on behalf of myself and on behalf of my colleagues who speak and understand Russian. We want more Russian-language books, magazines, and newspapers, especially those about Kurds and Kurdish culture, to reach us.”
A Kurdish official welcomed the move.
"We, as the government representation, consider ourselves happy and fortunate to be part of the proposals for this important and historic work being implemented for the service of Kurds and Kurdistan and the experts in this field,” Daner Abubakir from the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) representation in Russia said in a statement sent to Rudaw.
Abubakir extended special thanks and appreciation to Maxim Rubin, the Consul General of Russia in the Kurdistan Region.
Miran was active in the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) in the 1970s.