HSE University-St Petersburg Holds Arab Culture Day
The building of HSE University-St Petersburg on Kantemirovskaya Street hosted a festival devoted to the culture of Arab countries. The event featured presentations of traditions, national dances, and dishes by students from Iraq, Algeria, Chad, Jordan, Morocco, Lebanon, Egypt, Palestine, Yemen and the United Arab Emirates.
Annually, HSE University-St Petersburg holds adaptation events for international students. Among them are national culture days, discussion clubs on various topics: from Russian language learning to films, traditional holidays of different countries and others.
The Arab Culture Day was opened by Manoj Sharma, Vice-President of HSE University-St Petersburg.
Manoj Sharma
Vice-President of HSE University-St Petersburg
Fortunately, my career gave me lots of opportunities to interact with the Arab world. I can confidently say that traditions and unique national peculiarities are strongly reflected in each country represented. The common language unites ethnic identity, lifestyles and habits of over 20 states. The reverent attitude to your art and culture is an equally important aspect of the Arab countries' identity. Today, at this festival, we see the confirmation of my words.
The event participants delved into the history of the Arab world and got to know its cultural peculiarities. The states representatives presented unique architectural works, geographic peculiarities and traditions of their native lands. The holiday continued with a quiz: the participants and guests checked their knowledge and received souvenirs from the organisers.
The event organiser Habiba Abdelgelil, 2nd-year student of the bachelor's programme 'Political Science and World Politics', shared her impressions of the Arab Culture Day: 'I came from Egypt, and it is great to see that people in Russia, at HSE University-St Petersburg are committed to developing the communication with the representatives of various countries, including Arab ones. This event gave us an opportunity not only to feel at home but also to dispel some myths and stereotypes about the Arab countries and show our rich culture and customs. I think such events are an important part of student life', emphasised Habiba Abdelgelil.
The highlight of the Arab Culture Day is the energetic dance performances in which event guests took part. The performances received loud applause from the audience and united all those present in an interactive workshop on the local choreography.
'Recently, I have taken part in the African festival, and now, there is an Arab one. As a person from Morocco, I can be a part of both. Morocco is located in North Africa, but in fact, we are also Arabs. These events give me warmth and joy. I feel that people here are open to us and our culture, and we respond the same way.
I think many people know only basic facts about Morocco, so my goal is to tell about my country and present its peculiarities. I want people from all over the world to see our culture and traditions. For me, it is an honour to be a part of this festival, to be a person who enlightens others, and, of course, to study at HSE University-St Petersburg', shared Hind Mimmich, 2nd-year student of the bachelor's programme 'Political Science and World Politics'.
The organisers of international events are often international students themselves. The Arab Culture Day is not an exception: one of its coordinators was Al-Safi Khusseyn Nazhakh, 2nd-year student of the master's programme 'UX Analytics and Information System Design'. 'Despite that, I am one of the event organisers, I don't consider myself to be a leader. I enjoy being a part of the cultural exchange which we create during such events. My main mission is to create a festive and joyful atmosphere which both participants and guests can feel', summed up Al-Safi Khusseyn Nazhakh.
Among HSE University-St Petersburg students, 12% are international. The university cooperates with over 100 global universities, offering academic mobility programmes. Applicants can choose one of three English-taught bachelor's and seven master's programmes or separate courses—HSE University-St Petersburg offers more than 150 of them. In 2025, St Petersburg School of Art and Design opens English-taught tracks in bachelor's and master's programmes. For international students, the university organises cultural and adaptation events, during which they introduce fellow students and professors to their culture. The university regularly holds 'Cultural Cafes' and other cultural and educational events. Forward all your questions about academic mobility and international cooperation to the International Office of HSE University-St Petersburg. Follow the latest news about future international events in the VK group and Telegram channel of the International Student and Alumni Centre.