VVSU Students Celebrate Lunar New Year

Events celebrating the Chinese New Year are being held at Vladivostok State University. The Asian Spring Festival kicked off with interactive zones in the university's "Winter Garden." Students, staff, and guests had the opportunity to try their hand at calligraphy, the art of "Jianzhi" paper cutting, and a game of Mahjong. They could also watch a traditional tea ceremony, sample Chinese cuisine, and practice speaking Chinese.

Guests enjoyed Asian food, took part in contests, and received memorable gifts. For one day, the university's "Winter Garden" was immersed in the festive atmosphere of the Chinese New Year.

"At my station, which featured dishes from various Chinese provinces, students helped each other find the characters for dish names, actively worked in pairs to practice translating between Russian and Chinese, and learned interesting facts about the food," said Olga Severyanova, Deputy Director of the Department of International and Cultural Affairs at VVSU. "Thanks to our student from China, who prepared them with soul, everyone also got to taste the dishes."

Many students at VVSU study Chinese, and a significant number of its international students come from China. This makes cultural exchange events particularly important for the university and its youth, bringing together students from different countries.

"In just a few hours of the festival, students from various countries were able to connect with Chinese culture," shared Victoria Soleynik, Head of the VVSU Institute for International Student Preparation. "They actively interacted with each other while participating in the different activities. Students from China and our Chinese language teachers were happy to share their knowledge. Many students expressed a desire to continue learning Chinese games and, in turn, introduce international students to traditional Russian games."

The festival organizers noted that such events are another step toward developing a cross-cultural environment at the university. Students are interested in different cultures, so the organizers plan to take their wishes into account and hold such events more frequently in the future.

The festival was organized and overseen by university staff and faculty members. Special thanks go to the student curators and groups for their help in organizing the event.