At the skating rink. In the center is Elena Safronova.
The Department of Intercultural Communication prepared a rich cultural and educational program for international students in the Preparatory Department in January and February. A special highlight was the celebration of a memorable date for all St Petersburg residents: the Day of the Complete Liberation of Leningrad from the Nazi Siege.
On 27 January, Irina Chechik, Associate Professor at the Department of Intercultural Communication, held a class dedicated to this event. The teacher's account of the heroism and courage of Leningraders, their daily labor beyond the pale, and the city's fierce defense left a profound impression on the students. They also learned about the organization of camouflage and defensive operations and the contribution our university made to preserving the city's cultural heritage. That same day, the international students visited the memorial complex on Victory Square, dedicated to the heroic defenders of Leningrad.
During these frosty days, international students didn't stay home: teachers from the Department of Intercultural Communication organized and led engaging excursions and outings for the students. The students had a unique opportunity to experience the cultural life of the Northern Capital. On 23 January, international students from the Preparatory Department, along with Elena Safronova, a Professor at the Department of Intercultural Communication, visited St. Isaac's Cathedral on the birthday of its creator, the architect Auguste de Montferrand. This architectural masterpiece, striking in its scale, beauty, and richness of its interior and exterior decoration, made a great impression on the future engineers and architects.
On 31 January, the same group of students visited the skating rink on Krestovsky Island. The Chinese students tried skates for the first time in their lives and immediately skated—first following a polar bear, then holding hands with their teacher, and finally skating on their own. The sunny, frosty morning and the glistening ice created a festive atmosphere.
On 10 February, a group of international students from the Preparatory Department, accompanied by Anastasia Gubaidullina, Associate Professor at the Department of Intercultural Communication, attended a performance of Mozart's opera Don Giovanni at the Mariinsky Theatre. In addition to the performance, our international students learned about the history and architectural features of the theatre building.
On 12 February, international students from the Preparatory Department, led by Elena Safronova, took a literary journey through time, visiting the Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin Estate Museum. The students saw the poet's state rooms, private chambers, and study, and learned about the everyday life of a noble estate during the time of Catherine the Great. "Now, looking at the estate from our dormitory windows, we will remember that behind these walls is not just architecture, but the living history of Russian literature," the tour participants shared.
On 23 February, Defenders of the Fatherland Day, international students, along with Irina Chechik, visited the Military History Museum of Artillery, Engineering Troops, and Signal Corps. The students saw Russian and foreign weaponry from ancient times to the present day, learned a great deal about the glorious history of Russian weapons, the arduous trials the Soviet people endured during the Great Patriotic War, and the scientific and technological progress of the USSR during the war and postwar periods. The students said they had never been to a museum like this before and would be delighted to return with their friends.
