Exhibition of national cultures “Lobachevsky UniverSum 2.0” held by UNN international students
On November 20, the international exhibition-fair of national cultures “Lobachevsky UniverSum 2.0” was held at the Nizhny Novgorod regional special (remedial) boarding school for blind and visually impaired children. It was organised by the International Students Support Office of the UNN Department for International Student Affairs. The event, an example of practical implementation of the idea of public diplomacy, was part of the “I Care - I Can” programme of social initiatives for international students of Lobachevsky University.
Mikhail Puchkov, Minister of Education and Science of the Nizhny Novgorod region, Olga Guseva, Minister of International and Interregional Relations of the Nizhny Novgorod region, and Alexander Bedny, Vice-Rector for International Affairs and External Communications of Lobachevsky University, were the guests of honor at the fair. Nizhny Novgorod school students taking part in the Young Diplomat School project were also invited to the celebration of cultures of different countries.
“The interrelation of cultures and traditions, which is demonstrated today by the students of Lobachevsky University, is amazing and has so much bright energy. The festival becomes a unique platform where visually impaired and blind children can experience the diversity of cultures of other countries by touch, immersing themselves in the atmosphere of mutual understanding and friendship. Such events fill the participants’ hearts with a positive attitude, showing how valuable the mutual friendship of different nations can be. Every interaction, every touch of new traditions becomes a step towards a more open and united world, where differences become a source of inspiration and strength,” Minister of Education and Science of the Nizhny Novgorod region Mikhail Puchkov said, addressing the audience.
Olga Guseva, Minister of International and Interregional Relations of the Nizhny Novgorod region, emphasized that this international holiday has become an excellent example of public diplomacy.
“We launched the Centre for Public Diplomacy at Lobachevsky University this year, which unites all of the region’s educational institutions. Today's event also takes place as part of this Centre's work: we came to visit the pupils of the boarding school for blind and visually impaired children and give them an opportunity to touch the culture of 16 countries of the world. I am sure that our international students - and this academic year we have about 7000 students from 110 countries - will continue to actively participate in the work of this Centre, helping each child to understand cultural diversity. They will share their personal stories, demonstrate traditions and customs of their countries, enriching children's lives with new knowledge and bright impressions,” Olga Guseva said.
During the “Lobachevsky UniverSum 2.0” fair there were national display stands, master classes on henna painting, painting on wooden boards, making origami and national bracelets. The participants of the event also tasted national dishes, attended country studies master classes and master classes on national dances. The concert part of the programme included dance, vocal, instrumental and poetry numbers prepared by student volunteers from several countries of Africa and Latin America, as well as Algeria, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkmenistan.
“Today, at the invitation of the boarding school for visually impaired and blind children, Lobachevsky University is holding an international exhibition-fair of national cultures “Lobachevsky UniverSum 2.0“. This event gives us an opportunity to get closer to each other, to help us learn about this big and diverse world. International students from more than 90 countries study at Lobachevsky University. An important part of an international student's life is his/her integration into everyday student life, into the life of our city and region. Annual festivals of national cultures have already become our good tradition, where international students share their cultural traditions both with each other and with Russian friends and guests of the university. In recent years, we have started to go beyond the university campus and now we introduce our traditions to all interested Nizhny Novgorod citizens: we organised the Festival of Cultures at the Nizhny Novgorod Trade Fair and at the Record Culture Center. Today, as part of the project “Seeing with the Heart”, our exhibition-fair is held at the boarding school. I hope that our cooperation in this area will continue and will only develop,” emphasised Alexander Bedny, UNN Vice-Rector for International Affairs and External Communications.
According to Irina Budarina, Director of the boarding school for the blind and visually impaired, the friendship between boarding school pupils and international students of Lobachevsky University continues for several years.
“Our interaction began with thematic meetings, for example, when we hosted the Day of Syria. This year our cooperation resulted in a bright and large-scale exhibition-fair of national cultures. To some extent, our pupils and foreign students are similar: it is sometimes quite difficult for both of them to socialize in a new, unfamiliar environment. And just such fairs allow them to get to know each other better. We see that today children actively participate in master classes, they are interested in everything. After such events they not only immerse themselves in the history of foreign countries, but also begin to take an active interest in the traditions of our own country. So, everything we are doing is not in vain,” said the boarding school director.
“International students from Lobachevsky University came to us today for the third time. Last year we organized the Shrovetide celebration for them here, treated them to pancakes, told them about our national traditions and customs. We still keep in touch with some of those students. This festival is really fascinating, it takes one's breath away. Communication with foreign students helps us to better socialize, to improve our knowledge of foreign languages. There is mutual interest and exchange of experience,” shared his impressions Egor Egutov, a 10th grade student of the boarding school.
Neran Sancis Cyrus Akabokoye from the Republic of Congo, a Master's student at the UNN Institute of International Relations and World History, one of the active members of the UNN International Club of Students, believes that helping, taking part in the lives of others is a great and important matter.
“We are happy to share our culture, our traditions and, of course, we really want to bring joy to children. Such events strengthen friendship, promote communication, bring people closer together,” the young man said.
The programme of the exhibition-fair of national cultures “Lobachevsky UniverSum 2:0” included the presentation of traditions of 16 foreign countries.
The programme of international students’ social initiatives "I Care - I Can!" was developed by Dmitry Medvedev, Head of the UNN International Students Support Office, in 2018. The programme is intended to implement initiatives aimed at close interaction with the local community. It also aims to eliminate barriers and create conditions for students’ full self-awareness, overcoming the complex of a “stranger” in the university. It includes cultural and educational events as well as volunteer and charitable activities to help international students and city residents.
