During the academic year international students of Penza State University intensively implemented the project “Basics of friendship” aimed at visiting schools in Penza, presenting different customs and traditions and promoting cross-cultural tolerance among the youngsters.

“This project became extremely popular among pupils in Penza. That’s why the managers of summer school “TEENGRAD” (“TEENTOWN”) invited international students of PSU to take part in the event “Holding the XIX World Festival of Youth and Students (WFYS) in Russia”. TEENGRAD members met the international students who are the future participants of WFYS; they are Adel Maqbool (Yemen), 4th-year student of the Faculty of Dentistry, PSU Medical Institute, Tobi Ogunidiran (Nigeria), 2nd-year student of the Faculty of General Medicine, PSU Medical Institute, and Ali Mohsin (Iraq), 3rd-year student of the Faculty of Dentistry, PSU Medical Institute,” noted the representative of PSU International Office.

The students told the summer school participants about their countries and cultures. They also arranged the exhibition of souvenirs and photographs. Moreover the students shared impressions of Penza and suggested studying in Penza State University.

The pupils showed great interest and vigorously applauded to every speaker. After presentations the summer school participants simply bombarded the foreign guests with questions: they asked why the guests decided to study in Russia, whether they have favourite Russian dishes, whether they like weather in Russia, whether they miss their homeland, what cities they have visited, whether it is difficult for them to learn Russian, etc.

Following vivid cross-cultural dialogue the pupils organized the photo shoot with international students. The meeting lasted for more than two hours, both pupils and students were satisfied with its results.

Penza hosted summer school “TEENGRAD” for the sixth time. The youth educational forum brought together 110 pupils from Penza Region and five Russian cities: Saratov, Samara, Sevastopol, Leninogorsk and Perm. During 10 days highly-qualified educators taught children in design engineering, 3D-modelling, design and other things. Besides, the managers posed the challenge for talented pupils to commercialise their projects.