On December 4, the Festival of Russian-Serbian Friendship took place at Kuban State University. The festival was organized by Kuban State University and the Krasnodar Regional Public Organization “Yugoslav Society “Yugovichi” (brothers).
As part of the festival program, a roundtable discussion titled «History of Russian-Serbian Relations» was held in the both blended and distance format, along with a photo exhibition dedicated to the historical and contemporary aspects of interaction between Russia and Serbia. There was also a literary exhibition featuring works of fiction and books about the history and culture of Serbia, organized jointly by the University library and the KRPO «Yugoslav Society “Yugovichi”. Additionally, an exhibition of applied arts and a quiz for festival participants were conducted. Furthermore, a concert program was organized, which included performances of Russian and Serbian national songs, dances, and readings of poetry in both Russian and Serbian.
With a greeting to the guests asked: Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and Quality of Education at KubSU — Temyr Khagurov, Chairman of the KRPO «Yugoslav Society «Yugovichi»(Brothers) — Milana Yeryomina, Attache of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Krasnodar — Roman Vystorop, Priest and Secretary of the Kuban Branch of the World Russian People’s Assembly— Vyacheslav Klimenko, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Republic of Azerbaijan — Zeljko Samardzija, Deputy Mayor of Cacak (Serbia) — Vladan Milic, Chair of the Council of the Peoples of Kuban and the regional branch of the Assembly of Peoples of Russia in Krasnodar Krai — Vasily Chamba, Archpriest — Alexey Kasatikov. Video greetings were also presented from the Rossotrudnichestvo Representation in Serbia, the Director of the Higher School of Mechanical Engineering and Traffic Management (Ciacak, Serbia), as well as a greeting from the head of the Representation of the Republic of Serbia in the Russian Federation. The moderator was Evgeniia Rotai, Deputy Director of the International Affairs Department.
The round table was attended by leading scholars, faculty members, and students from KubSU, as well as international participants. Egnara Vartanyan, Doctor of history, Professor of Modern, Contemporary history and International relations department of Kuban State University, presented the activities of the Scientific and Educational Center «North Caucasian Slavic Studies.» Milana Yeryomina, Chairman of the KRPO «Yugoslav Society “Yugovichi” (Brothers), spoke about the history of Russian-Serbian relations based on the activities of the Yugoslav Society “Yugovichi.” Miodrag Danilovic, Professor at the Higher School of Mechanical Engineering and Traffic Management in Cacak, presented the experience of cooperation between Russian and Serbian artists. Miroljub Milincic, Director of the Russian Geographical Society Center in Serbia and Dean of the Faculty of Geography at the University of Belgrade, introduced the participants to the activities of the RGS Center in Serbia. Ksenia Radoicic, a teacher of Russian language and literature at a primary school in Cacak, discussed initiatives to promote the Russian language in Serbia. Alyona Rusanova-Lubashevskaya, a photo artist, presented a report on the «Photo Exhibition of the Socio-Cultural Project ‘Serbia, Belarus, and Russia’ as Special Events in Public Relations.»
As part of the concert program, students from the Faculty of Philology at KubSU, members of Studio of Russian folk dance “Sudarushka” performed Russian folk songs and dances. A preparatory department student from Serbia, Jasna Kuvekalovich, recited poetry in Russian. Students from the 5th, 7th, and 8th grades of Krasnodar School 102-F named after Hero of the Soviet Union Georgy Bocharnikov recited poems in Serbian. Members of the House of Culture of the Western District of Krasnodar, participants of the ensemble “Vozrozhdenie,” performed traditional Serbian dances.
During the quiz, all attendees eagerly answered questions about Serbia, and the winners received commemorative souvenirs. The festival concluded with the presentation of certificates to participants and letters of gratitude to the organizers.
