To mark the 80th anniversary of the Victory in the Great Patriotic War, a special project for international students called Victory Week was launched at Derzhavin University. The goal of the project was to preserve historical memory, strengthen patriotic education and develop intercultural dialogue among international students studying at the University. During May, 250 foreign students from more than 30 countries took part in 20 events of various formats. The most active were students from Morocco, Algeria, India, China, Congo, Lebanon, Angola, Egypt and Togo.
A special place in the project was occupied by a creative concert, organized on the initiative of foreign students of Derzhavin University, held by them in the Tambov boarding house for veterans, where songs of the war years were performed, as well as poetic and musical numbers. The performance of students from Congo Calvin Mossedzedi and Manongo Hemerson was especially memorable: an a cappella performance of "Victory Day" and an author's poem, accompanied by a guitar.
"Never embitter Russia -
but enter into its Great history.
For the benefit of our dear planet
how nice it is to say: "Happy Victory Day!", wrote Calvin Mossedzedi in his poem.
During the month of May, volunteers from the international GOODWIN team visited war veterans, presented them with gifts and read real letters from the front – genuine testimonies of time that left no one indifferent.
Groups of international students, most of whom are first-year students, were able to follow a specially designed memorial route through iconic places in Tambov – from the Eternal Flame to the Monument to Zoya Kosmodemyanskaya and the legendary Tambov Kolkhoznik Tank, which allowed the University’s international student body to better understand the contribution of Tambov residents to the Victory.
The Victory Week project ended with the Victory Cup football tournament, which added sporting energy to the celebration of the 80th anniversary of Victory. The international student team Magnit became the winner.
– All events became an important evidence of the fact that the memory of the Great Patriotic War is not only the pages of textbooks, but also living participation, respect, sincere empathy, comments Elena Zueva, Vice-Rector for International Affairs. – Through words, songs, films, performances, letters and gestures of gratitude, Derzhavin University’s foreign students expressed their main message: “We remember. We are proud!”