Dialogue of Cultures

On June 15, a student project marathon was held at the Center for Public Diplomacy of Volgograd State University. It brought together students from two countries – Russia and Malaysia. During the dialogue, the participants shared interesting facts about their countries, told about the sights, customs, traditions and also tried to dispel established stereotypes.

The event began with an immersion in Russian culture. First‑year students of the “International Relations” program gave a presentation, during which they highlighted the country’s national symbols and values, key holidays and historical events – Victory Day, Russia Day, New Year, and the Proclamation of Sovereignty. An equally important part of the presentation was the section about famous national heroes and outstanding Russian figures in sports, culture, and media. The participants listed names that are significant for different generations: Alexander Nevsky as a symbol of the country’s defence capability, Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova as legendary Soviet cosmonauts who made groundbreaking flights for the era of space exploration; Lev Yashin as a legend of world football; Anna Netrebko as an opera singer on the world stage; and Vladimir Pozner as a world‑renowned TV presenter.

The highlight of the presentation was a video filmed by first- and second-year students of the “International Relations” program. The footage revealed the beauty and historical richness of Volgograd. The focus was on the city’s famous landmarks: the Mamayev Hill, “The Motherland Calls!” sculpture, the Church of Saint John Kronstadtskiy, the “Russia is My History” museum, and the “Art” fountain, located on the central embankment of Volgograd.

“The Student Project Marathon” is a wonderful opportunity not only to learn more about the partner country of the Russian Federation, but also to get acquainted with its traditions, culture and customs as well as to establish a student dialogue. The main goal of the event is to promote Russia’s attractive image abroad and to introduce partners to Russian culture, traditions, human potential and the numerous peoples living in the country. Through collaborative project work, students learn the basics of intercultural dialogue, develop the ability to present reports in foreign languages competently, and learn how to ask questions appropriately to foreign students. All of this contributes to expanding the international relations of Volgograd State University, promoting public diplomacy, developing students’ professional competencies and skills in the field of international communication, helps to immerse oneself more deeply in one’s own culture and the famous pages of the country’s history and to learn a lot of new things from our foreign partners” Kirill Kryuchkov, an expert of the Center for Public Diplomacy, emphasized.

College students from Malaysia made a presentation with a brief overview of Malaysia, the country’s national symbols: the elements of the coat of arms (two tigers, a shield, a shining moon, a 14‑pointed star and a hibiscus flower). They also introduced the national holidays: Malaysia Day and the Birthday of Yang di-Pertuan Agong, highlighted the distinctive features of the celebrations and also shared the best dishes of Malaysian cuisine. At the end of the presentation, the participants showed a video that clearly demonstrated the country’s ethnic diversity. The students presented their homeland as a unique space where three cultures – Malay, Chinese, and Indian – coexist harmoniously. Within a single country, you can get acquainted with different religions, customs, and cuisines. All of this can be seen without leaving the country.

“I’m very glad that we were able to bring Malaysian and Russian students together. It was very pleasant to see how interested and open the young people were in their communication, they asked questions and learned a lot about each other, as well as about the culture, education and life in their countries. Such meetings help strengthen friendship and mutual understanding and lay the foundation for further cooperation,” Tatyana Vinokurova noted, a representative of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Kuala Lumpur and coordinator of the project work on the Russian language.