HSE University–St Petersburg Holds Fair of Nationalities of Russia
The HSE building on Kantemirovskaya Street hosted a fair that brought together representatives of various nationalities of Russia. Dagestanis, Komi-Permyaks, ethnic Russians, Yakuts, Nenets, and Pomors presented their native land, showcased national dishes, organised workshops, and performed a concert programme.
.jpg "HSE University–St Petersburg Holds Fair of Nationalities of Russia")
Every year, HSE University–St Petersburg welcomes students from various regions of Russia. The university regularly holds themed events to help them get to know each other and the country better. The latest of these, the Fair of Nationalities of Russia, opened with a speech by Olga Gaidova, Director of the International Student and Alumni Centre.
Olga Gaidova
Director of the International Student and Alumni Centre
We are proud that today, at our fair, students and graduates of HSE University–St Petersburg are presenting their nationalities and regions. We are also happy to welcome our special guests: students of HSE University–Perm who are undertaking an internship at the International Office. Today, they are representing Komi-Permyaks.
I hope that all participants of the fair will gain new knowledge, participate in numerous workshops, and get to know traditional dances and treats from various parts of our country.
In 2025, HSE University–St Petersburg and the St Petersburg House of Nationalities signed a cooperation agreement. The parties agreed to organise joint events and activities, including the Fair of Nationalities of Russia. Yanina Semakova, Chief Specialist of the Department of Interethnic Relations at the St Petersburg House of Nationalities, gave a welcoming speech on behalf of Igor Zhukov, director of the house:
'Let's create an atmosphere of mutual respect, interest, and support where everyone can feel like an integral part of a big and loving family of nationalities of Russia. We are happy that HSE University–St Petersburg has become our partner. This partnership agreement will continue the intercultural dialogue and contribute to strengthening ties between various nationalities.'
Victoria Smirnova, Chairman of the Youth Council at the St Petersburg House of Nationalities, also shared some thoughts on the signed agreement and joint plans:
'There are a lot of international students at the university, and working with people who come to Russia is our primary field. In partnership with HSE University–St Petersburg, we can develop in the interethnic direction and organise important projects like this fair more often and make them even larger.'
At the fair, students got to know the history and cultural intricacies of various nationalities of Russia, learnt to paint in local traditional techniques with the Da-Da student club, tied Pomor knots, and made bast-fibre figures in folk commercial workshops.
The concert programme of the fair was no less diverse, featuring traditional dances of the Nenets band Yedey Yalya, a performance of a Cossack song by Artur Kosinov of the HSE Choir, dances by representatives of Dagestan, and a performance by the folk band Uklad. The organisers, participants, and international students of HSE University–St Petersburg also took part in a khorovod (round dance).
'I want to introduce people to the culture of Dagestan and the unique details of my people's life. For me, it's also important to learn about the cultures of those we share this huge country with. I'd like to express my gratitude to HSE University–St Petersburg and the St Petersburg House of Nationalities for the opportunity to be a part of this important event,' says Abdul Akaev, HSE University–St Petersburg graduate of the Bachelor's programme 'International Business and Management Studies.'
The Youth Council of the St Petersburg House of Nationalities organised ETHNOquiz, an intellectual team game with 30 questions about cultural diversity in Russia. Among the participants were four multinational teams made up of Dagestanis, Nenets, Komi-Permyaks, ethnic Russians, Yakuts, Pomors, and students from India and Pakistan.
The fair concluded with a workshop on national dances by the HSE University–St Petersburg ballroom dance student club. The attendees included international students of HSE University-St Petersburg and students from other regions of Russia. All participants of the fair received letters of appreciation from HSE University–St Petersburg and the St Petersburg House of Nationalities.