Nizhny Novgorod is celebrating its 780th anniversary. In this significant year, we are offering you a book that has compiled stories of all major Nizhny Novgorod historical events.

Legends and chronicles have preserved a lot of glorious names and events. We are witnessing the creation of another chronicle today, in which our fellow Nizhegorodians and the city's new look are being recorded. Nizhny Novgorod has become younger, and once neglected outskirts are receiving new modern buildings. I hope all contemporary creations will stay for as long as the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin has.

We are writing our city's history, day after day. Nizhny Novgorod with its eight-century-old streets, its ancient Kremlin and trade fair and its pleasurable parks means a lot to us. It is multifaceted and very dear to its people.

The city has been open to the world for a decade. Practicality and intelligence that locals have attract guests from many countries. Talented musicians and actors willingly visit Nizhny Novgorod for the Sakharov Arts Festival.

Our city is the capital of the Volga Federal District. The status is not only powerful impetus for development but huge responsibility as well. I am sure we can live up to it. We have entered the dawn of the Third Millennium and will try to make it bright for Nizhny Novgorod.

Yuri I. Lebedev, Mayor September, 2001