Greek delegation visits Lobachevsky University

On June 13, Rector Evgeny Chuprunov held a working meeting with the delegation from Greece that visited Lobachevsky University. The delegation included the Mayor of Heraklion Vasilis Lambrinos, the Vice-Mayor in charge of tourism Gian Andrea Garancini, City Council members Dimitris Agapakis and Leonidas Zampetakis, the Proto-priest of the Orthodox Church of Heraklion Kostis Pitsikakis, the Vice President of the Heraklion Chamber of Commerce and Industry Emmanouil Frangakis, CCI representative Giannis Smirnakis, musician and poet Giorgos Dramountakis "Loudovikos". On the part of Lobachevsky University, the meeting was attended by Alexander Bedny, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, Irina Leonova, Head of the International Affairs Department, Larisa Zhukovskaya, Director of the Institute of Philology and Journalism and Tatiana Sharypina, Head of the Foreign Literature Department. Professor Evgeny Chuprunov made a presentation about the university for the Greek guests, and the parties discussed the prospects for cooperation between the UNN and Heraklion’s leading institutions of higher education.

Within the framework of the Greek delegation’s visit to Nizhny Novgorod, staff members and students of Lobachevsky University led by Rector Chuprunov also took part in the signing of the twinning agreement between Nizhny Novgorod and Heraklion and in the opening of the Greco-Russian Economic Chamber in Nizhny Novgorod. The twinning agreement and cooperation agreements were signed in the Armorial Hall of the Nizhny Novgorod Trade Fair. The events were attended by the Mayor of Nizhny Novgorod Vladimir Panov, the Mayor of Heraklion Vasilis Lambrinos, the adviser to the Minister of Economy of the Greek Embassy in Russia Christina Stefanidou, Head of the project office of the federal national cultural Greek autonomy Melina Leonova, Head of the Nizhny Novgorod branch of the Greco-Russian Economic Chamber, Director of the Center for Greek Culture in Nizhny Novgorod Maria Fotiadou and some others.

In the context of these events, a cooperation agreement was signed between Lobachevsky University and the Center for Greek Culture. The first cultural interactions between Nizhny Novgorod and Heraklion as sister cities were marked by the opening of the exhibition of painting and sculpture "Way of Unity" by the Greek artist Pavlos Arzumanidis. Head of the UNN Foreign Literature Department Tatiana Sharypina delivered a speech on the role of culture in the development of international relations. Students of the UNN Institute of Philology and Journalism presented to the guests a cultural program that included several poems and songs performed in Greek and Russian and a theatrical performance, a mini-play based on the Sophocles’ tragedy "Antigone".