Diana Gurtskaya
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the ensuing conflict in Abkhazia in the early 1990s, her family was forced to live in a refugee camp, which eventually led them to migrate to Russia.In 1995, Gurtskaya won an international junior song contest, leading her to become popular in Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Israel and countries with substantial Russian-speaking minorities.Gurtskaya then signed with a major Russian music label, and released a series of hit singles with a record-breaking number of copies sold.[1][2][3] In 2006, President Vladimir Putin presented Diana with "The Honored Artist of Russia" award – one of the highest state prizes in the Russian entertainment industry.Since 2011 Diana has served as a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Commission for Improving Accessible Environment and Inclusive practices.