Siberian Federal University: Festival of National Sports and Cultures at SibFU
On 25 September 2022, Siberian Federal University held a festival of national sports and cultures for strengthening peace and friendship among the peoples of Russia. More than 200 students of different nationalities took part in traditional games and competitions.
Participants competed in team and individual folk games: the Turkmen game Asak-Tauk, the Tuvan national game Tevek, sledge jumping, tug-of-war, Georgian classes and mas-wrestling. Guests of the festival participated in a special quiz with questions about different cultures. The winners of all competitions were awarded certificates, cups and presents.
Ayuna Vanchikova, student of SibFU from Buryatia: “This festival allows seeing and learning a lot of new things about different cultures — something you wouldn’t even have thought to ask. For example, I am showing the native costume of Buryatia, each colour of it symbolizes some force of nature, but only few people know it”.
The festival program included performances by Odlar Yurdu (Azerbaijan folk dance and song ensemble) and the Youth of Lezginka (Caucasian folk dance ensemble). The participants also enjoyed the Khoomei — Tuvan throat singing and Buryat folk songs.
Amirbek Alimov, chairman at the SibFU Centre for Peoples Friendship, shared: “This year 18 teams participated in the festival. At first, the expected number of participants was about 150 people, but much more people registered, this means the topic of friendship of peoples is relevant and interesting for our students. One important notice — we made the teams mixed, and people of different nationalities had not only to compete, but also to work side by side together.”
Soslan Tadtayev, the head of the Department for Nationalities, Religions and Cossacks Affairs, the Department of Public Relations of the Governor of Krasnoyarsk Territory: “We strongly support such festivals because it is a good opportunity for people to spend time together and learn something new about different cultures. Such communication creates the understanding of the world complexity for both locals and visitors.”
The event was organized by the SibFU Centre for Peoples Friendship and MIR Council of National Youth Associations. The event has already become a tradition and is held annually — it is supported by the House of Friendship of the Peoples of Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Department of Public Relations of the Governor of Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Agency for Youth Policy and the Implementation of Social Development Programs of Krasnoyarsk Territory.