Russia and China Discussed Interaction of Languages and Cultures at SUSU Conference

From the 28th through the 30th of May, within celebration of the 75th anniversary of South Ural State University, the International Conference on Interaction of Languages and Cultures organized by SUSU and Tianjin Foreign Studies University (China) took place.

This year, as noted Director of the Institute of Linguistics and International Communication Elena Yaroslavova, profile language education of SUSU celebrates its 20th anniversary:

“Precisely 20 years ago the Faculty of Linguistics was established and carried out admission of its first students. Within the 20 years we turned into an acknowledged center of language education of not just the region but the entire country. Presently, training is performed in 9 major education programs of linguistic profile.”

Vice-Rector of South Ural State University Aleksandr Diakonov in his welcoming speech emphasized the importance of the event for strengthening of academic, international and scientific connections between Russia and China:

“In the latest decades, the rapid development of economics, industry and international relations in People’s Republic of China brought it to the leading positions in the geopolitical space. Knowledge about national linguistic and cultural values will favor for successful intercultural communication of Russia and the PRC in all spheres of geopolitical cooperation.”

A series of reports on topical issues of modern linguistics was presented at plenary session. Vladimir Karasik, Doctor of Philology, Professor of Tianjin University:

“Important problems of modern linguistics were discussed at this Chinese-Russian conference. I think that topics of presented reports will make us think more efficiently and lead to existence of new ideas, promoting interested young and talented researchers to come to this sphere of knowledge.”

Olga Turbina, Doctor of Philology, Professor of the SUSU Institute of Linguistics and International Communication’s Department of Linguistics and Translation, emphasized the special role of South Ural State University in establishing partnership between Russia and China:

“Geographic position of South Ural State University favors for including it into the structure of international education, which nowadays is at the stage of active development. Topics discussed at the conference are relevant for modern linguistic science. I am sure that discussion of these problems will promote development of regional and international scientific cooperation between Russian and Chinese researchers.”

More than 80 Russian and Chinese scientists, including SUSU staff and master’s degree students, presented their reports at the Conference on International of Languages and Cultures. Within the Conference, a concert dedicated to the Day of Slavic Writing System was held. Students of ILIC and ISSH’s Faculty of History, and school students of Chelyabinsk demonstrated their artistic performances. Russian and Ukrainian folk songs and dances and Belarusian couplets were performed for the event guests, and international students cited poems of Russian poetry’s classicists.

“Celebrating the Day of Slavic Writing System is a traditional event of our university. Annually there is a concert dedicated to Cyril and Methodius, the creators of Cyrillic alphabet which this year celebrates its 1155th anniversary. Participants presented very interesting performances: songs in Slavic languages and poems of Russian poets cited by students from Egypt, Iraq and other countries. Students from Heihe University (China) performed the Valenki Russian folk dance. Students had been preparing for a long time; it was difficult for them to learn Russian songs. They were all dressed in national costumes and enthusiastically danced wearing valenki (felt boots). Each of them performed very well and was able to have a closer look at Russian culture,” says organizer of the concert, Associate Professor of the Department of Linguistics and Translation, Maria Raevskaya.

On the final day of the conference, a master class was held by Liudmila Gorodetskaya, Doctor of Cultural Science, Professor of Lomonosov MSU’s Faculty of Foreign Languages and Area Studies, senior consultant of Cambridge University Press.

Olga Romanovskaia, Viktoria Matveichuk; photo by: Oleg Igoshin, Viktoria Matveichuk
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