Bridging Cultures: BelSU Connects Students in Namibia and Russia Through New Year Traditions

Belgorod National Research University (BelSU) recently hosted a teleconference connecting students from Namibia with schoolchildren from Secondary School No. 11 in Belgorod. The teleconference featured students enrolled in the intensive “Learning Russian at BelSU” course in Namibia, who engaged with their peers in Belgorod.

The focus of the meeting was on the upcoming New Year and the various traditions associated with its preparation and celebration.

Anna Makhova and Maria Vinichenko, associate professors from the Department of the Russian Language, Professional Speech, and Intercultural Communication at the BelSU Institute of Cross-Cultural Communication and International Relations, helped immerse Namibian students in the festive atmosphere of one of Russia’s most cherished holidays. They prepared sweet New Year gifts, crafted cards with good wishes written in Russian, and showcased colourful winter-themed cartoons.

During the teleconference, Russian schoolchildren from Secondary School No. 11, along with their teachers, Elena Dolgikh and Elena Sindeeva, shared their favourite festive dishes and traditional winter activities in both Russian and English. They also taught their Namibian counterparts how to cut out delicate snowflakes, which now adorn the windows of the Russian language classroom at Welwitschia University – mirroring the winter decorations seen in Belgorod homes.