The occasion which brings us together this afternoon isa truly memorable one: to present to you, SirHarold, the newly founded Denis Sinor Medal forInner Asian Studies. Here at Cambridge, indeed, andeverywhere among Iranists in Britain, your epiccontributionsto the knowledge of Inner Asia and itscultures are indeed better known than the new awardwith which we today seek to acknowledge them. Ishould, I think, preface my remarks with a few wordsabout the new medal and its origins.