RUDN University: 87 Countries in One-Day Culture Kaleidoscope
The university held a festival of national cultures.
Planet South-West is a traditional festival held at People’s Friendship University of Russia since 1987. This year, it involved students from 87 countries including South Korea, Myanmar, El Salvador, Macedonia, Bolivia, Burundi, Venezuela, Vietnam, Guyana, Mexico, Mongolia, Benin, Uganda, Algeria, Angola, Jamaica, Tunisia, Congo, Ethiopia, Palestine, Sri Lank, Colombia etc. A large exhibition was arranged in the square of the main building where each represented country had a show bench. Festival guests saw national flags, kitchenware, hand fans, masks, jewel boxes, trinkets, figurines, puppets etc. Musical instruments were also displayed including the Burmese arched harp, Mexican maracases, African drums and Turkish sazes. Foreign nationals in bright costumes introduced festival guests to customs of their countries and presented an amateur show. Students from Myanmar told about the history of classic songs, explained what the name of the country meant and showed the Thanaka cosmetic paste. Mongolian students led a master class in Old Mongolian and the fortune telling game called Shagai. Chinese nationals showed the basics of calligraphy, Indians highlighted the Mehendi design, Bolivians performed a miners’ legend dance, and Lebanese students taught the basics of the Dabke national dance. Guests were treated to Colombian coffee, Brazilian coconut and cucui nut dessert, Portuguese toasts “rabanadas” and Turkish sweets.
Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia is the most international university in the country providing training to students from 157 countries. Tutors help foreign nationals adapt to living conditions in Russia. They tell the students about learning experiences, Russian ways, show round the dormitories and the city and help settle everyday issues. To consolidate international students, the university holds national culture festivals, sightseeing tours, round table meetings, quizzes, contests and shows. Find more information about RUDN University.
