The EU Days in Syktyvkar

In the first semester of 2013 in Syktyvkar State University within the framework of “European Union Days in the Republic of Komi” the cycle of arrangements, which have the aim to show that the European Union is multilanguage, multicultural and tolerant union of European states, were conducted. Cultural and information part was oriented to the wide range of participants: schoolchildren, SyktSU students, representatives of working youth and residents of Syktyvkar. Altogether more then 600 participants took part in the arrangements which were conducted in SyktSU in May 2013. What is the European Union in the cultural sense, how do the nations of Europe keep their identity and how do integration processes influence culture – that is the goal of “EU Days” in 2013. The cycle of arrangements were organized as “The windows to Europe” when each arrangement showed the culture of a definite region (Scandinavia, the Great Britain, Germany and Italy) and altogether they created the common impression of the culture of the European Union in the historical plan and its current state.

On May 7, 2013 the arrangement, devoted to Hungarian linguistics, literary studies and cultural studies in terms of Finno-Ugric cooperation, was conducted. The number of participants – 39 people.  

The aim of the arrangement is to deepen knowledge of the modern tendencies in linguistics which absorb the traditions of plenty of cultures and reflect changes in the modern society and state, creation of a base for the cross-cultural dialog of the EU and Russia at the local level.   

SyktSU students, journalists, staff of Ministry of National Policy of the Republic of Komi, representatives of non-commercial organizations of Syktyvkar took part in the event.

The Hungarian delegation, consisting of the representatives of student youth of the largesy universities of Hungary visited SyktSU on May 6-9, 2013. In the program of the visit the workshop “Hungarian linguistics, literary studies and cultural studies in terms of Finno-Ugric cooperation” was conducted.

The main part of information was presented in Hungarian with the translation into Russian and it allowed students to listen to live and emotional Hungarian speech which differs much from the Komi and Finnish language which are traditionally taught in SyktSU. Hungarian students told about the role of Hungarian linguistics, literary and cultural studies in the joint projects within the framework of the EU. In particular, there is the actual issue related to the changes and preservation of the language and culture in the process of globalization in terms of Hungarian entry to the EU. The following discussions were the most interesting: “Theory and practice of poems translations in Hungarian – the experience of two epochs” by the student from Eotvos Lorand University Reke Lelkes and report by Sofia Mattaikat “The usage of linguistic consciousness concept for the study of the Hungarian language”. At the end of the meeting students performed the most popular Hungarian songs and dances and taught their Syktyvkar colleagues to dance and sing Hungarian songs and dances.  

On May 17, 2013 the joint exhibition of students from universities of Finland and SyktSU “The traces” was arranged in the Exhibit hall of Art Faculty. The number of participants – 64 people.      

The aim of the arrangement is to increase the information level of schoolchildren about the culture of Finland as one of EU countries; to show the common points in the culture of the Republic of Komi and Finland; activate the development of local art in terms of experience of colleagues from Finnish universities. 

Students of Art Faculty of SyktSU, students of SyktSU Humanitarian Sciences Institute, staff of Syktyvkar museums, schoolchildren of art schools of the town took part in this event.

The Department of Arts and Crafts of Art Faculty of SyktSU together with the Finnish Art departments of Lapland University, Lahti University of Applied Sciences and Academy of Fine Arts in Helsinki implemented the joint innovational art project “Northern Places – Tracking the Ugrian traces through place-specific art and photography”.

In April 2013 Finnish students together with Syktyvkar students passed the orientation courses on the cultures of kindred Finno-Ugric peoples. The most essential part of the project was the joint work of Finnish and Syktyvkar students. There were two mixed working groups which created their own art projects.  

The official day of the exhibition was May 17. After this date exhibition material was sent to Finland for the exhibitions in Helsinki, Lahti and Rovaniemi. Olga Orlova from the National Gallery of the Republic of Komi was invited to participate in the summarizing of the results of the cross-cultural communications project. She presented the report related to the common points of Komi and Finnish cultures and to the impact of Finnish traditional and modern culture at the European level. During the second part of the event students participated in the project told how the participation in the joint project impacted on their perception of modern local art and photography, what new tendencies in modern European art and culture they understand better after the project. On May 24, 2013 the evening of British music “British Party” was conducted with the participation of 140 people.

The aim: presentation of local EU cultures as the part of European cultural heritage, acquaintance with modern musical tendencies as the display of social and cultural changes in the society and investigation of the impact of British culture on the culture of the EU, Russia and the Republic of Komi.

Students of SyktSU, musical bands and rock groups of Syktyvkar who sing in English, journalists, members of Ministry of Culture and Ministry of National Policy of the Republic of Komi, representatives of non-commercial organizations of Syktyvkar, working young men took part in the event.

The evening of British music was organized in cooperation with a musician from the Great Britain Jason Offen who together with the musical bands of Syktyvkar demonstrated the traditional British music (cover versions of the songs by The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen) and the music in English written by Syktyvkar bands under the influence of the modern English music. The evening of British music was conducted in English (the interpreters were the students of Politology and International Relations Department of the Humanitarian Sciences Institute). The hall was decorated with the style of local English parties where the participants of the concert can communicate with musicians in informal setting, sing their favorite musical compositions and try hands in the activity of rock guitarists or drummers. In the “saloon bar”, which was decorated as the British pub, all visitors could drink traditional English tea.

The evening was opened by Jason Offen’s lecture (in English) who told about the reasons of modern British music origins, its impact on the post-war society, its transformation under the impact of external and internal factors, the brightest representatives of British pop and rock music beginning from the Beatles and ending with the modern Indie groups. Then Syktyvkar musical bands The Kate Runners, Signal Fireт и Highlights took the stage. United concert where 18 songs were sang lasted near 1.5 hours. Then Jason Offen, evening moderator, played for those who wanted to sing solo parts of their favorite songs.  

Jason Offen pointed out that he was pleased with the musical level of Syktyvkar musicians. All participants of the Evening of British music concurred in opinion that the expression of society through the culture and the music is the index of its maturity and readiness to the search of common cross-cultural interests and integration.   

On May 30, 2013 the arrangement “German national and cultural autonomy demonstrates the European region” was conducted. The number of participants – 60 people.  

The aim: to increase level of students’ awareness about culture, traditions, history and language of Germany, to acquaint students with the representatives of the youth department of national and cultural autonomy of the Republic of Komi, to tell about the peculiarities of the higher educational system in Germany and opportunities of SyktSU students for studying in the universities of the European Union.

SyktSU students, representatives of National and cultural autonomies of Syktyvkar, journalists, representatives of the Ministry of National Policy of the Republic of Komi, participants of the youth department of the German National and cultural autonomy of the Republic of Komi “Wir” took part in the event.

The arrangement was started with the joint report of the specialists of SyktSU Directorate for International Activity and one of the students from Germany, who studies in SyktSU in the framework of the double degree program. The report was devoted to the modern education system in Germany, the reforms of the 1990-s and living conditions in Germany. The discussion was active and allowed to single out Syktyvkar residents’ preferences connected with the additional and parallel education and with future job. At the end of the report students, who were interested in the further studying in the EU, were registered for questionnaire survey and professional orientation in the Directorate for International Activity.     

Then the representatives of the youth department of the German National and cultural autonomy “Wir” acquainted all participants with the traditional German dances, traditional and modern music and conducted master classes dedicated to the most popular German folk dances.

After the active part of dancing and singing part all participants could taste traditional German food which was prepared for this arrangement by the German autonomy. The culture and traditions of Germany and their impact in Russian culture and traditions were the topics of active discussions during the final tea drinking.  

The main conclusion of participants is the confirmation of the fact that now the Republic of Komi is the tolerant region without interethnic conflicts. Such arrangements should help to preserve as long as possible the cultural variety and respect alien languages as your own one. In this regard the experience of the EU is the unique and invaluable and it can be used in the national and cultural policy of Komi region.

On June 7, 2013 the opening of the exhibition of Art Faculty students and lectures “Under the sun of Tuscany” was arranged in the Exhibition hall of Art Faculty.

The aim: presentation of local cultures of the EU as the part of European cultural heritage, acquaintance with the modern Italian art, investigation of its impact on the culture of Europe and Russia, nature and traditions of Tuscany by the eyes of Syktyvkar lecturers and students.

The participants: SyktSU students and lecturers, journalists, representatives of the Ministry of Culture and National policy of the Republic of Komi, staff of museums and National gallery, representatives of Artists’ Union of the Republic of Komi and Artists’ Union of Syktyvkar, schoolchildren, working youth.

The group of students of the second-fifth years of study of Art Faculty spent May in Tuscany where they investigated the art and culture of Italy, acquired the practical experience of work on the open air and participated in the master classes of German artists. This became possible thanks to the Agreement between Syktyvkar State University and Fine Arts School in Shwanthalter (Germany) and the University of Florence (Italy).

Artists from Germany, Holland and Italy were among the participants of the working group. According to the results of plein-air students organized the first exhibition in Tuscany where skilful artists could see the works of their young colleagues and reveal some secrets of proficiency. According to the plan the final exhibition of lecturers’ and students’ works should have been opened on May 31. But due to long-lasting delivery of the pictures over the border installation of exhibits started only on June 6 when the pictures had arrived in Syktyvkar.                   

The exhibition was opened by the Dean of Art Faculty Ludmila Gurlenovna. She pointed out the importance of integration of international education process into the local culture and made the excursion into the history of Italian art. Then the head of the delegation of Syktyvkar State University, associate professor of Fine Arts Department Vera Belousova was given the floor. She told about the goals of plein-air, purposes of the participants and results.   

The exhibition “Under the sun of Tuscany” presented 50 pictural works created with the help of techniques of water painting, gouache painting, pastel drawing, graphics and oil paining. All participants could also see photo works by the students and lecturers which showed the process of plein-air work and the culture, life and traditions of Italian inhabitants.