Acquaintance With The Russian Caucasus

Release date: 25.03.2019

On March 30 — April 2, with the informational support of the Foreign Ministry of the Russian Federation, the full-time project “Acquaintance with the Russian Caucasus” project will take place, which includes the eponymous student essay contest and international forum in the Kabardino-Balkarian State University named after H.M. Berbekov (Nalchik, Republic of Kabardino-Balkaria, Russia). The format that has become an annual one is aimed at developing and strengthening ties between students from more than 20 countries of the world — while the project’s geography is steadily growing.

«This is not my first student trip — I have something to compare, ”says Gabriela Stoyanova, a participant in the first“ Getting to know the Russian Caucasus ”forum,“ and I can definitely call a trip to Nalchik one of the best.
It was my first time when I visited Elbrus, and I am happy that I was part of the project “Dating with the North Caucasus”. I had the opportunity to meet people from different countries who came to this conference in Nalchik. I also had the opportunity to learn their views and opinions about the North Caucasus and their areas of research. It was an amazing experience. We ate Kabardian and Balkarian food, learned about their culture and traditions. I was delighted with their hospitality. I’m glad to be part of this amazing journey», — noted the 1st year student Mukherjee Krishnand (India).

“It’s better to see once than hear a hundred times” — this is a popular expression that can be considered the forum’s motto, which is intended to form its own opinion of the international composition of participants on the Russian Caucasus — a region that today is likely to become the object of prejudice and stereotypes. That is why the project provides an opportunity for students from different countries of the world to personally visit the regions of the Russian Caucasus, as well as to exchange experience with representatives of leading regional universities and ask questions to experts. However, the business part of the agenda is not limited to: the program also includes visits by participants to the sights, familiarity with the traditions, culture and lifestyle of the peoples of the region.

The initiators and organizers of the project are the associate professor of the Political Theory Department of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations at the Russian Foreign Ministry Ya.I. Vaslavsky, a member of the advisory council under the State Duma Committee on CIS Affairs, Eurasian Integration, and Relations with Compatriots A.M. Kaskulov, lecturer of MGIMO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Ananyev.

The project is being implemented with the support of State Duma Deputy A.Zh. Bifova, Federal Agency for Youth Affairs Rosmolodezh; MGIMO MFA RF; KBSU named after H.M. Berbekov, international analytical center «Rethinking Russia».