I’d like to dedicate this first space flight to the future communist society our Soviet people are already building, which, I’m certain, all the people on Earth will join.

Only a few minutes are left before the start now. I say goodbye to you, dear friends, as people always say when leaving for a long journey. I would so very much like to hug every one of you, whether I know you or not, whether you’re near or far!

See you soon!

Yuri’s speech before the first space flight (https://web.archive.org/web/20210401072208/https://www.roscosmos.ru/28336/)

Having flown around Earth in the spaceship, I’ve seen the beauty of our planet. People, let’s preserve and develop this beauty, not destroy it!

A note Yuri took after the flight (on the picture).

I know you all love daydreaming about space travel and even envy us cosmonauts a little, boys especially. But did you know we envy you too? Our space flights are just the beginning. Planets, whole new worlds await you! It is you, young Leninists, who will explore the universe, and we are happy to pass the torch to you.

Yuri Gagarin to Soviet children (https://youtu.be/wOqkcdufHfI?t=2683)