Students from the Pre-University Training Department of the Institute of International Cooperation at Penza State University held lessons of friendship for students in the linguistic course at the Klyuchevsky Center for Gifted Children.

Malian representatives Keita Habibou Di Abinon Mahamadou and Sidibe Moussa held lessons of friendship, talking about their countries, traditions, weather, and food. In a warm, friendly atmosphere, they shared stories about their career choices and where they studied, how they ended up in Penza, and what they found new there.

Of course, there were questions about the temperature and climate differences between distant Africa and snowy Russia. The students were also interested in learning about national recipes.

"The lesson took place in an unusually warm, bright, and friendly atmosphere. The students discussed their literary preferences and introduced the guests to classics of Russian poetry. Students from the Pre-University Training Department of the Institute of International Cooperation at PSU, in turn, spoke about the literary heritage of authors from various ethnic groups inhabiting Mali," said Elena Kostyushina, a teacher of supplementary education at the Pre-University Training Department of the Institute of International Cooperation at PSU.

Sidibe Moussa and Keita Habibou received certificates for their engaging presentations and active participation. This is what "Lessons of Friendship " are all about—when boundaries blur and the world becomes closer, brighter, and kinder.

"We support this format of meetings because live communication helps overcome language barriers. When international students talk about their homeland, they open up and connect more easily with native Russian speakers. It's always nice to know that someone in another country is interested in your culture. And for Russian schoolchildren, this is a role model. They see that people from other countries are learning their native language, and this helps them respect other cultures," shared Natalia Barysheva, Head of the Pre-University Training Office at the Institute of International Cooperation at PSU.