South Ural Association of International Students and Alumni has held day one of the Festival of the Peoples of the World!
SUSU is a university which brings together representatives from more than 50 countries of the world. That is why it became the venue for this festival.
Vice-Rector for Education Marina Potapova gave the welcome speech:
“This festival is a celebration, a feeling of unity. The Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation supports such initiatives and gives universities the opportunity to become participants of such events. Our university belongs to the multinational world since more than 2000 international students are studying here. It is wonderful that the festival involves not only creativity, but also education.”
Students from six universities of Chelyabinsk became the participants.
“The Association of International Students and Alumni is a big multinational family. Friends always matter. I am glad that we have people with whom we can share all the events happening at the university,” noted Liudmila Lapina, Head of the SUSU International Office.
The first festival event was a roundtable discussion on the topic of Presenting Practices and Projects Aimed at Achieving Intercultural Interaction. Invited guests presented their works on it.
For example, Dariia Vasina, coordinator of the Association of International Students, presented the first report. She spoke on the role of the Association of International Students in intercultural interaction of international students at Russian universities. Participants learned about the main things in the work of the organization, which has 27 regional branches:
• AIS as a member of the Interdepartmental Working Group for Coordination of International Cooperation in the Field of Education;
• AIS as an international partner of the 2024 World Youth Festival;
• 30 events are annually organized by AIS Russia, with no less than 10000 international students participating in them;
• participation in more than 50 off-site events every year.
.png)
Regina Mukhametova, research fellow of the sector for developing programs for sociocultural adaptation and integration of international students and non-native children, spoke on the methodological support of intercultural interaction using the example of the work of the Research Centre for Monitoring and Prevention of Destructive Manifestations in Educational Environment.
The main goals of the Research Centre for Monitoring and Prevention of Destructive Manifestations in Educational Environment are monitoring and analysis of the trends related to development and forms of distribution of destructive content on the Internet, methodological work, and preventive work (conducting online and offline seminars, master classes, trainings, lectures on preventing the influence of destructive ideologies).
After the roundtable, the participants and guests of our university watched and discussed a film South Urals. Traces of Ages made by our students. Day one wrapped up with a walking tour round Chelyabinsk.
“We have been holding this festival for the second year now, so that international young people could share the specifics of their culture with Russian students and among themselves. This communication also helps a lot in adaptation. I wish all participants success and to have a good time,” says Issa Shaabo, President of the Association of International Students of Russia.
The festival is held with the support from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation and Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia – RUDN University.
The program also includes cooking master classes, tours round Chelyabinsk, national exhibitions, and much more.