Among the participants of School-2018 are 22 students from Poland, Norway, Finland, Ghana, France, Spain and the USA. Most of the students represent NArFU’s partner universities – UiT – the Arctic University of Norway, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the University of Upper Alsace, the University of Lapland and Rasputin Russian Language School in Łódź (Poland).
"In 2018 the School is celebrating its tenth anniversary, so we tried to make everything feel really special. Following the opening event, the guests were welcomed with tea and traditional Russian pancakes and pies. The programme is very diverse and interesting. Alongside the daily classes it comprises a wide range of cultural events including lectures on the history of the Russian North at the local museums, folklore concerts and workshops in traditional northern arts and crafts. The guests are going to have photography workshops and a trip to the White Sea Coast.
"The School focuses on folklore and the regional specifics. The Russian North and Arkhangelsk Region where pure Russian traditions are kept and developed is the right place to explore Russia and its cultural heritage," noted Maxim Martynov, School Coordinator at the opening ceremony.
The desire to learn more about the culture of the Russian North is among the most popular motives inspiring students to take part in the School. Some of the participants decided to learn Russian in order to develop research in Arctic-related fields and for others the School is a good opportunity to enhance the level of the language mastering and get acquainted with Russia and experience its hospitality.