On May 18, 2023, an online conference was attended by the teaching staff and students of the Department of Modern Greek Philology and the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language from Kuban State University (KubSU) and the Department of Russian Philology and Slavic Studies from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece.
The welcoming remarks to the students from both universities were given by the head of the Department of Modern Greek Philology, Galina Redko, and the head of the Department of Russian Philology and Slavic Studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Tatiana Borisova.
KubSU was also represented at the event by Luisa Miroshnichenko, Associate Professor of the Department of Modern Greek Philology, Emma Tokar, Deputy Dean for Student Affairs of the Faculty of Russian Philology, Olga Kuznetsova, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language, Irina Lekareva, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language, and Elena Boyko, assistant of the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language, along with students from the Faculty of Russian Philology and the Faculty of Romance and Germanic Philology. The moderator of the conference was Evgeniya Rotai, Deputy Director of the Department of International Affairs.
On the side of the Greek university, Russian Language lecturers and students from the 2nd and 4th year courses who study Russian Language and Culture participated in the conference.
At the beginning of the event, students from both universities briefly introduced themselves and shared their interests with each other. KubSU students told about the city of Krasnodar and its sights, the University in general, and the sports life in Krasnodar. Students from the Russian as a Foreign Language Department prepared a quiz about Russian Culture, Literature, and History for the students from the Greek University. After the presentations, all students had the opportunity to ask questions. One of the students of the University of Athens asked that the students of the KubGU also talk about Russian Culture.
Beides, Tatiana Borisova, the head of the Department of Russian Philology and Slavic Studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, invited KubSU students to participate in a student scientific conference, which will take place online on May 24, 2023. And Irina Lekareva, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language, informed about the events at KubSU dedicated to the Russian Language Day on June 6. She invited Greek colleagues and students to participate the event as well.
At the end of the meeting, the Greek students expressed their desire to visit Krasnodar and further explore Russian Culture. A professor from the Greek university suggested that students become pen pals, exchanging letters and postcards.
Next online meeting of students from both universities is planned for October. In the Autumn, the Greek university students will prepare a presentation about Athens, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and Greek Culture, while the KubSU students will provide a more detailed account of Russian Culture.
