Kuban State University (KubSU) hosted the Festival of National Cultures on April 27. This large event traditionally brings together all students and lecturers of the university.
The National Cultures Festival is part of the Festival of Open Creative Youth Initiatives «ЭТАЖИ» («Floors» or «Levels»), which was held at KubSU for the 14th time. This year, the «national lounges» were set up outside the university, in front of the main entrance.
Different faculties and institutes of the university presented 23 «national lounges,» each dedicated to a specific country. Among them were Russia, Belarus, China, North Ossetia, India, Uzbekistan, Haiti, Tatarstan, Egypt, Brazil, Armenia, Mexico, and many other countries and ethnic groups. International students represented their native cultures, and the Arab and African «national lounges,» as well as those representing Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Haiti, were particularly eye-catching. The participants showcased colorful costumes, national treats, lively dances, and folk songs.
Elisey Malikov, a student of the Institute of Geography, Geology, Tourism, and Service, shared his impressions of the festival, saying, «It was my first experience participating in such an event, where you are immersed in different cultures and traditions. I will always associate North Ossetia, represented by my Institute, with its hospitality, vibrancy, and cheerfulness. This is largely due to the people who surrounded me during the preparation and the festival itself.»
As part of the festival, a concert was held in the university’s assembly hall on the same day. Creative teams from various faculties presented their performances, and a competent jury evaluated the event and determined the winners. The Russian «lounge» presented by the students of the Faculty of Russian Philology won the Grand Prix of the National Cultures Festival of KubSU.
Valeria Morozova, the Chairman of the Students’ Unity of the Faculty of Russian Philology, said, «We were aware of the level of responsibility that comes with representing Russia, so we took the preparations very seriously. It lasted for a whole month, and we had to carefully plan every step — from developing the idea to performing the act. The most important part was representing the national spirit. We made sure that the theme of both the ‘national lounge’ and the performance in the assembly hall had internal coherence. The emotions of the artists on stage were also crucial; we successfully showcased the inherent Russian enthusiasm and energy and shared it with the audience.»
First place was shared by teams from the Faculty of Pedagogics, Psychology and Communicational Science (Egypt), the Institute of Geography, Geology, Tourism and Service (North Ossetia), and the Faculty of Law (Russia).
Galina Mardirosova, the Deputy Dean for Educational Work of the Faculty of Pedagogics, Psychology, and Communicational Science, stated, «Due to the pandemic, which deprived many students of the opportunity to realize their previous plans, this year we decided to immerse ourselves in the origins of the Ancient World. Among the available options, we chose to represent Ancient Egypt with its unique atmosphere, restrained energy, and the clash of luxury and poverty, magnificence and simplicity. While simplicity was relatively easy to replicate, magnificence required careful craftsmanship from everyone involved in the idea.»
Since March, the office of the Deputy Dean of Educational Work turned into a functioning mechanism, with a circulation of participants depending on the class schedule. The participants of the «national lounge» and their assistants patiently developed skills in embroidery, beading, sewing, gluing, drawing, painting, and designing «luxury.» Mardirosova admitted, «Not everything we planned was realized, as the scope turned out to be too large. Nevertheless, the ‘national lounge’ of the Faculty of Pedagogics, Psychology, and Communicational Science, representing Egypt, successfully took place and received a worthy award.»
Diplomas for the second place were awarded to the Faculty of Chemistry and High Technologies (Cossacks), the Faculty of Biology (Dagestan), the Faculty of Economics (Gypsy Lounge), the Faculty of Computer Technologies and Applied Mathematics (Armenia), and the Institute of Secondary Professional Education (Brazil).
The third place went to the «national lounges» presented by Faculty of Architecture and Design (Belarus), the Faculty of Management and Psychology (Turkey), the Faculty of History, Sociology, and International Relations (Tatarstan), the Physics and Technology (Adygea), as well as the African and Arab «national lounges,» and Uzbekistan. The African Lounge received the Audience Choice Award.
The jury members acknowledged the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Sciences for their original approach to the disclosure of national traditions in their «national lounge» of India. They also recognized the Faculty of Journalism for demonstrating the culture and traditions of Cuba, the Faculty of Romance and Germanic Philology for representing Mexico, and the Faculty of Art and Graphics for showcasing the traditions of China.
Representatives from Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and Haiti received a special prize «For the vivid manifestation of national identity.»
The participants will cherish the memories of the festival for a long time, eagerly anticipating next year’s Festival of National Cultures at the university.
