BelSU Brings International Students Together for Space Week in Russia

The programme began with the “Poyekhali!” Star dictation. At the invitation of the Russian Ministry of Energy, Iranian students studying at Belgorod National Research University (BelSU) took part in the event, which was jointly organised by the Roscosmos State Corporation and Rossotrudnichestvo. The dictation was written by Anton Pervushin, a renowned writer, journalist and cosmonautics historian. It was read at the The RKK Energiya Museum in Korolyov, near Moscow, by pilot‑cosmonaut and Hero of Russia Andrei Borisenko, who has logged two space flights, over 337 days in orbit, and experience as commander of the International Space Station (ISS).

The space events continued with an interactive educational game titled “Space Is Closer Than It Seems: Explore, Discover, Conquer!” organised by the International Information Centre in collaboration with the BelSU Institute of Intercultural Communication and International Relations. Students from China, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Chad, Nigeria, Namibia, Burkina Faso, Peru and Ecuador answered questions about the major milestones of human space exploration from 1957 to 2025. Divided into two teams – “Moon” and “Cosmonauts” – the students completed tasks covering Russian grammar, vocabulary and phonetics, and received answers to key events in the history of cosmonautics. After a tense competition, the “Cosmonauts” team won by a margin of one correct answer.

“Introducing international students to the achievements of cosmonautics and space exploration is an essential part of sociocultural adaptation,” said Olga Lyutova, Director of the International Information Centre. “Yuri Gagarin is a hero not only for Russia but for the entire world. But space programmes are about more than just the first human in space – they also represent hundreds of discoveries and achievements that bring us closer to the future depicted in science fiction.”

Space Week concluded with a screening and discussion of the feature film The Age of Pioneers, followed by a conversation about competition and cooperation between different countries in space exploration and missions.