On June 11, the Pushkin Institute hosted a formal closing ceremony for the InteRussia-2024 research internship program in Russian language for international Russianists. Interns from Serbia, Turkmenistan, India, Uzbekistan, Slovakia, Kyrgyzstan, Belarus, Tajikistan, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Egypt, Mexico, Armenia, Turkey, and Brazil presented their work, which culminated their scientific activities in Russia.
The interns were supported by their academic advisors - faculty members from the Pushkin Institute's Department of Russian Literature and Intercultural Communication, the Department of Russian as a Foreign Language Teaching Methodology, and the Department of World Literature. The educators highly commended the interns' professionalism, noting the substantial amount of work completed in a short timeframe, as well as their enthusiasm for studying chosen topics in Russian as a foreign language teaching methodology, linguoculturology, language policy, linguistics, and literary studies.
The young Russianists approached their presentations creatively: Altynai Tabyybekova from Kyrgyzstan concluded her speech by reciting an original poem, while Abror Navruzov from Tajikistan performed a lullaby from Don folklore titled "Koloda-duda."
The ceremony culminated with the Acting Rector of the Pushkin Institute, Nikita Gusev, presenting internship completion certificates amidst enthusiastic applause from all attendees.
Distinguished guests at the InteRussia internship closing ceremony included Victoria Karslieva, Deputy Executive Director of the A.M. Gorchakov Fund, and Ekaterina Torubarova, Head of Public Diplomacy at Rossotrudnichestvo.
"The key aspect of the program is its content. The internship wouldn't be as significant without the Pushkin Institute's faculty, who invest all their effort, experience, and scientific achievements in our common cause. I believe we've achieved a high-quality professional dialogue that you can continue in your respective countries," noted Victoria Georgievna.
"Traditionally, June is graduation season: some finish kindergarten, others complete school or university, and today our international interns are graduating. Congratulations, and thank you for taking the time to come to Russia and conduct extensive research! My deepest gratitude to the educators!" emphasized Ekaterina Gennadyevna.
Svetlana Ulyanova, Director of the Center for External Communications and Development of Youth International Programs and curator of the InteRussia Russian Studies program, also congratulated the interns: "Thank you for this month of intensive work! I believe this is not the end, but the beginning of our great friendship, promising projects, and scientific discoveries."
The interns, in turn, thanked the Pushkin Institute for the opportunity to immerse themselves in Russian culture, noting that the institution is a leader in promoting the Russian language worldwide.
The event was moderated by Dina Gorbatova, Vice-Rector for Development and Digitalization of Education at the Pushkin Institute, and Berta Tuaeva, Vice-Rector for Science.
"In today's presentations' glossary, there were certainly terms like 'scientific research,' 'prospects,' 'goals and objectives,' but the most frequently repeated words were 'inspiration,' 'friendship,' and 'singing of the soul.' It's also worth noting that in the bibliographies, colleagues are already referencing publications by InteRussia interns from previous seasons, which indicates the formation of its own scientific school," Dina Anatolyevna summarized.
The InteRussia program on Russian studies is implemented by the ANO "Mezhdunarodniki" in collaboration with Rossotrudnichestvo, the Pushkin Institute, the Gorchakov Fund with grant support from the Presidential Grants Fund.