BelSU Celebrates International Students’ Day

The event, organized by the Nikolay Strakhov Scientific Library in collaboration with the International Information Centre, saw participation from student representatives across all institutes. Nadezhda Malygina, a researcher at the Nikolay Strakhov Scientific Library, opened the event by sharing the history of this significant holiday, which originated from tragic events in Czechoslovakia in 1939. She explained that International Students’ Day was officially established on November 17, 1946, to honour these events.

“This day is celebrated in many countries, and no university is exempt from its observance,” Malygina noted. “The essence of International Students’ Day lies in uniting students worldwide and fostering solidarity, allowing them to feel part of a vast international community.”

As part of the festivities, international students of Belgorod National Research University (BelSU) – participants in the Miss and Mister International 2025 competition – introduced the audience to their home countries and shared their traditions related to International Students’ Day or its equivalents.

Performances were given by Mariana Alejandra Parra Gomez from Colombia, who is studying at the Pedagogical Institute; Tomás Lujang Kamba Data from South Sudan at the Law Institute; and three students from the Medical Institute: Francisco Dilson Xavier from Angola, Abdelghani Aya Reda Kalaniy from Egypt, and Jesus Antonio Santos Cedeño from Ecuador. Additionally, Felix Excellent Osebhahiemen from Nigeria and Elmira Ismailova from Turkmenistan represented the Institute of Intercultural Communication and International Relations, while Sun Qin from China represented the Institute of Earth Sciences.

Following the performances, all participants engaged in an intellectual competition designed to test their knowledge of Russian history and culture, including memorable dates and notable figures.

The quiz was hosted and compiled by Olga Lyutova, Director of the International Information Centre within the BelSU Department of International Cooperation. A jury composed of Olga Anokhina, Head of the Educational Spaces Department at the Nikolay Strakhov Scientific Library; Silvia Fatima, winner of the Miss and Mister International - 2023 Contest; Saul Santiago Guerreira Perez, a specialist at the BelSU International Information Centre; Abdellatif Abdalla Ravda, a member of the BelSU volunteer movement; and Zarinakhon Mamatalieva, head of the Uzbekistan community, judged the contestants.