November 1

The SUAI Festival of National Cultures

A Festival of National Cultures dedicated to National Unity Day was held at the SUAI buildings on Gastello and Lensoveta streets

The Faculty of Humanities and the Institute of Business and Law Technologies joined creative efforts to show the diversity of Russian culture, and each student had the opportunity to get acquainted with the sights of our freshmen's native land.

– Russia is the homeland of two hundred peoples. They live and work together. We are strong in our unity. Our festival shows the diversity and unity of Russia. Education is an important feature to understand this. When we share knowledge about the culture of different peoples, we strengthen unity. Our festival is both an educative event and a demonstration of genuine all–Russian patriotism," commented Tamara Mikhailovna Smirnova, Professor of the Department of History and Philosophy, Vice–president of the Regional Public Organization St. Petersburg House of National Cultures.

This year, the festival struck with its scale and was located in several locations inside two buildings. The participants of the event were able to get to know the creativity of peoples in all its manifestations: the audience saw the Azerbaijani dance "Hamydan Gezal", Russian folk dance, heard classical music on the flute and modern compositions played with guitar.

– The value of the festival lies in the freedom of creativity. It's an amazing feeling when you see how students open up from a completely amazing side. It is at such moments that the real talents of the university and our country are born," said Victoria Andreevna Smirnova, a lecturer at the Department of History and Philosophy.

At the exhibition in the St. George's Hall of the Chesma Palace, one could see artistic photos created by students: the beauty of the expanses of Naryan-Mar, the Caucasus mountains, the Tatar mosque, the murals of the ceiling in the Russian church and many other shots reflecting the beauty of our vast country. The students also presented their own works in the technique of graphics, pencil drawing and painting.

At the "Tablecloth-Samobranka" location, they tasted traditional pastilles, chak-chak, gingerbread and learned how to make real Karelian kalitki, and as part of a scientific and artistic student conference they studied the differences between the traditions of Mordovian, Izhora and Tatar weddings.

The sports location offered the Russian Flovoten and Huptacrau, the national sport of the peoples of Southeast Asia. The Buryat game "Shagai Naadan" was played "by the whole world": students from Africa and China, Buryats and Russians, Sakha and Karelians, Siberians and Caucasians.

We express our gratitude to all the students who did not remain indifferent to the interesting event of the SUAI and took the initiative!