The ceremony of receiving the reward of the Russian Internet Academy

The first in the World Web history ceremony of delivering National Intel Internet reward was held on March, 21, 2000 in the Big Concert Hall of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of Russia. The winners of the reward are the authors of the best Internet works in the spheres of culture, art, education in the Russian language. The site of the State Hermitage Museum acknowledged the best in contents, structure, navigation, design, interactivity and functionality and making impression of the major work of Internet culture was awarded with the "Grand-Prix of the Russian Internet Academy". This prize became the first professional award to the Russian Web established by the Russian Internet Academy. The representatives of The State Hermitage Museum receved also a Prize in the nomination "Museums". The State Hermitage offers at his site virtual excursions round the Museum halls where over 3 million exhibits of the Museum are on display representing culture and art of different epochs and countries. Innovative technology of enlarged images helps the visitors of the site scrutinize the slightest details of the world masterpieces.

The National Intel Internet reward was established in December 1999 by the Russian Internet Academy (À°¸) with idea to promote Internet technologies in all strata of the Russian society and to enable more active development of the Web space in the Russian language available for everybody by popularising the best Internet works in Russian. The title sponsor of this activities is Intel Corporation, sponsor in the mass media - All-Russian State Television and Broadcasting Compamy (VGTRK).

The joint project of the Russian Internet Academy and Intel Corporation win wide fame among Russian speaking "residents of the Worldwide Web". From the time when establishment of the National Intel Internet reward was announced the site www.nagrada.ru was visited by more than 1 million people. At the stage of nomination 1,600 applications with 1,464 sites were put forward for competition for the Reward. The applications arrived from the European regions of Russia, from the Urals, Siberia, Far East and from some countries abroad.

At the next stage nomination commissions consisting of 46 members of the Rissian Internet Academy (this is more than two thirds of its membership) were formed. After some weeks of work the Big Jury of the Academy with Andrey Sebrant at the head by secret web ballot named the laureates in 21 nominations out of 95 nominees. Apart from that another winner of the National Intel Internet prize in the nomination "Web Chooses You" was determined by open web ballot with participation of the "residents" of the Russian language Internet up to moment when the prize in this nomination was rewarded.

"Grand-Prix" and "Prize" in the nomination "Museums"

At the press-conference