Irina Chechik with meeting participants
On 6 May, the Department of Intercultural Communication at the Saint Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering held a celebration for international students of the Preparatory Department to commemorate Victory Day. The event featured a screening of the short film "Time Connection" by Dmitry Abolmasov, based on Kir Bulychev's short story "May I Ask Nina?" Before watching the film, the students learned about the writer's career and interesting facts about his life.
The event was attended by the Head of the university's International Relations Division, Shuainat Akhmadulaeva, and the Head of the Preparatory Department for Foreign Applicants, Karina Surkova. Associate Professor at the Department of Intercultural Communication, Irina Chechik, spoke about the Great Patriotic War, the main events and terrible facts of that time.
The international students were not only spectators but also active participants: they read texts about the war, watched wartime newsreels, and participated in a quiz. The students were shocked by the scale of the destruction, the tragedy, and the sufferings of Soviet civilians.
Unfortunately, many of them know firsthand what war is. During the film's discussion, the students' words echoed personal pain and sincere sympathy. At the same time, the foreign students expressed respect for the unparalleled heroism of the victorious Soviet people and emphasized the need to preserve historical memory. At the end of the event, the participants chanted in unison: "I remember, I am proud!"
"A huge thank you to the SPbGASU Department of Intercultural Communication: not a single student remained indifferent to the topic. Many asked questions and shared their experiences. I'd also like to commend the level of Russian language proficiency among the international students," noted Karina Surkova.
Among the international students, there are those with family ties to the Great Patriotic War. For example, Antonio Huet Crespo, a Cuban, has Russian roots. He's not only mastering academic subjects but also researching archival materials about his great-grandfather, a front-line soldier and medalist who reached Berlin. Along with all the international students in the preparatory department, Antonio actively participated in the celebration and said at the end, "I remember, I'm proud of my Russian great-grandfather."
