Lobachevsky UniverSum International Festival gathers students from many countries
On November 2, the Culture Centre "Record" in Nizhny Novgorod hosted the international exhibition-fair of national cultures Lobachevsky UniverSum organised by Lobachevsky University. Taking part in the event were more than 200 UNN students from 15 countries: Algeria, Bolivia, China, Colombia, Congo, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, Senegal, Syria, Sudan, Turkmenistan, Ecuador, Egypt, and Russia.
"We have been holding Lobachevsky UniverSum since 2018, and hundreds of people take part in this event every year. The festival is intended to support sustainable intercultural dialogue in the youth environment, to foster respect for representatives of different cultures and nationalities. This is an opportunity for students and all residents of Nizhny Novgorod and the region to learn more about the traditions of different countries of the world," said Oleg Trofimov, Acting Rector of Lobachevsky University.
Olga Guseva, Minister of International and Interregional Relations of the Nizhny Novgorod region, addressed the participants at the grand opening of the festival. She visited the thematic displays and talked to the students.
"The Nizhny Novgorod region pays great attention to the development of international relations, which are becoming ever more intensive every year, especially in the field of education. Our region is considered to be one of the leading scientific and educational centres of the Russian Federation and is very attractive for young people from abroad as a place to get higher education. Today, about 6000 international students from 110 countries study in the region's universities. We provide all the opportunities for obtaining real knowledge and in-demand professions," Olga Guseva pointed out.
The festival is organised by active international students of Lobachevsky University and the UNN International Club of Students with the assistance of the UNN International Students Support Office. According to the festival participants, this event is an opportunity to tell about their homeland and get to know representatives of other countries.
"I am very happy that at this exhibition I can show my native country, which I love very much, and learn about the traditions of other countries. We are presenting the traditions, culture, and the natural features of Ecuador. What can our country boast about? We have a lot of bananas, many kinds of bananas. We also have a special, very tasty cocoa. Besides, Ecuador exports roses, which are very popular in Russia," said Karen Fiallos, a UNN student from Ecuador.
"I really like studying at Lobachevsky University, it is a good place to prove yourself, to show your leadership qualities, to learn a lot of new information, to reach great heights. UNN hosts many interesting events. Today at the Festival of Cultures we learn about the traditions of different countries. It is very informative. Students introduce us to their cultures, we get to know each other better," shared UNN student Sheykhnazar Davletov from Turkmenistan.
The International Exhibition-Fair of National Cultures has been held at Lobachevsky University each year since 2018 (the exception was 2020, which was due to the coronavirus pandemic). At the end of 2021, the event was rebranded - for the first time a whole cycle of events dedicated to the culture and traditions of the peoples whose representatives study at Lobachevsky University was launched under the name Lobachevsky UniverSum (National Cultures Workshop). In 2022, the event was held at the Nizhny Novgorod Trade Fair.
