"House of Friendship": UNN students learn languages through music and films

At Lobachevsky University, the House of Friendship and Cultural Diversity of Students often hosts meetings of students from different countries. These events take place in the format of conversation clubs, which involves informal communication where students share information about themselves, their homeland, traditions, cuisine, music, and favourite movies. The main rule is to speak in the language being learned and to help each other when faced with difficulties.

Recently, a series of events involving students from the Latin American, Turkish, Algerian, Egyptian, and Syrian communities was held at the House of Friendship. Two sessions of conversation clubs, the Russian-Turkish and Russian-Arabic clubs, were held. Russian students who are learning these languages independently or as part of their academic programmes also took part.

The Russian-Arabic club was organised in a musical format, where songs were performed in both Russian and Arabic, and the song lyrics were then analysed. Participants also exchanged information about famous singers. The Russian-Turkish club provided an opportunity for beginners to learn the language and practice their skills in real-life conversations.

The events were organised by the UNN Department for International Student Affairs with the support of the university's national communities. According to the participants, these clubs not only help improve language proficiency but also provide an opportunity to make new friends, gain a deeper understanding of other cultures, and feel a part of the diverse international community at Lobachevsky University.

Meetings with national communities take place at the university on a regular basis. In the near future, such meetings will be held with students from Iran, Morocco, and Pakistan.