The Stars of the Commonwealth Award has been presented to famous Tajik / Russian poet and novelist Timur Zulfiqorov.

Due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the award ceremony this year took place in a videoconference format on November 27.

Together with Timur Zulfiqorov, the following persons have been given this award: Nailya Velikhanova, Director of the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan; Svetlana Navsardyan, music teacher and conductor (Armenia); Alexander Mrochek, Director of the Republican Center for Cardiology (Belarus); Talgat Temenov, Art Director of the State Music and Drama Theater (Kazakhstan); Adylbek Moldashev, chemist (Kyrgyzstan); Yuri Kharmelin, Director of the “From the Streets of Roses” Youth Theater (Moldova); Guzel Yakhina, writer (Russia); and Farrukh Zakirov, Art Director of the “Yalla” Ensemble (Uzbekistan). 

The Stars of the Commonwealth Award was established by the CIS Humanitarian Cooperation Council and the CIS Interstate Humanitarian Cooperation Fund in 2010. The award is presented in three nominations: for achievements in science and education, culture and art, and humanitarian activities. The prize consists of a monetary reward of 2 million Russian rubles (RR), a diploma, an honorary badge of the laureate and a certificate to it.  Up to three awards are bestowed in each nomination.

Timur Zulfiqorov (born August 17, 1936) is a Russian / Tajik poet, playwright, and novelist. He was born in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

He is winner of Ivan Bunin Award for his work Zolotye Pismena Lyubvi (The Golden Letters of Love).

In the West, Timur Zulfiqorov is called “Dante of Russian Literature.”