Victory Day Marathon for International Students Concludes at BelSU

The marathon offered a diverse program, blending creative and intellectual activities.

The first event was a heartfelt concert performed by international student volunteers for military personnel receiving treatment at a Belgorod hospital. Co-organized with the Blagovest creative team and the Tiara ensemble, the performance brought joy to the hospitalized military patients. Students from Ecuador, Indonesia, Paraguay, and Colombia showcased modern and national dances, popular pop songs, and jazz hits. The concert culminated in a vibrant medley of beloved Russian songs, including "Katyusha," "Kalinka," and "Matushka Zemlya" (Mother Earth).

“The wounded in the hospital were deeply moved, especially by the familiar tunes of 'Katyusha' and 'Kalinka,' and the touching words 'For me – Holy Rus'!' from the international students,” noted Viktor Drozdov, head of the Blagovest creative team.

The marathon continued with an educational expedition to the Prokhorovskoye Battle Field State Military-Historical Reserve Museum, organized in collaboration with the ANO Preobrazhenie Gubkinsky Spiritual and Educational Centre. International students learned about one of the largest battles in history and then participated in an expeditionary task under the guidance of mentors from the preparatory department and the International Information Centre.

Further events included a meeting of the club In the World of Cinema: Watching Films, Learn Russian. Participants watched and discussed the film Little Soldier, which depicts the hardships endured by children during wartime. They also read stories about children of war in Belgorod.

A special event within the marathon was dedicated to the hoisting of the Soviet flag over the Reichstag in Berlin. Students participated in a meeting, recited poems commemorating the Great Patriotic War, and interacted with schoolchildren who had participated in the regional stage of the Spring of Victory All-Russian competition.

The marathon culminated with the round table The People Who Won, organized in collaboration with the ANO Preobrazhenie Gubkinsky Spiritual and Educational Centre, held at the Prokhorovskoye Battle Field Military History Museum. Participants discussed the vital contributions of the multinational people of the Soviet Union to the victory over Nazi Germany, and the role of the Allied forces in achieving this result. Expert participants included Sergey Prokopenko, a lecturer from the Znanie All-Russian Society; Father Roman (Akhmedov), head of the ANO Preobrazhenie; Olga Lyutova, director of the BelSU International Information Centre; Lyudmila Tsapkina, head of the headquarters of the Belgorod regional branch of the Immortal Regiment of Russia All-Russian public movement; and Father Alexander, dean of the Prokhorovsky district and rector of the Church of the Holy Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul.

“The memory of the war lives in every family in Russia and the post-Soviet space,” said Father Roman (Akhmedov). “Our multinational people stood united, shoulder to shoulder, to repel the enemy. They stood up then, they stand up now. We have no right to ignore this fact. That is why we share this story with our children, with our international guests, and with the world. I am heartened that young people from Africa, Asia, South America, and Europe stand with us in celebrating Victory Day!”