Nowruz celebrated by the student community
The Institute of Philology and Intercultural Communication became the venue for the traditional spring equinox celebration.
Participating were Consul General of Kazakhstan in Kazan Erlan Iskakov, Consul General of Uzbekistan in Kazan Nodirjon Kasimov, Consul General of Kyrgyzstan in Kazan Erik Beishembiev, Head of the Executive Committee of the Council of the Assembly of the Peoples of Tatarstan Renat Valiullin, Vice Rector for International Affairs Timirkhan Alishev, and Director of the Institute of Philology and Intercultural Communication Radif Zamaletdinov.
The official part of the event began with a welcoming address by Timirkhan Alishev.
“Traditionally, the university hosts this festival within its walls, bringing together not only KFU students but also students from almost all universities located in the Republic of Tatarstan. The holiday has special significance for students from Turkic countries and the Middle East, where it is a national holiday. It is also very close to Tatarstan, and therefore we see it as a dual function 鈥� a bridge between our Republic and friendly countries, and an opportunity to showcase the cultural diversity of the peoples living and studying in Tatarstan. The students demonstrate that, despite their proximity, each nation has its own unique characteristics,” emphasized the Vice-Rector.
The ceremonial program opened with the Bayrem vocal and instrumental team. This was followed by performances by representatives of neighboring countries studying at KFU 鈥� students from Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Each performance reflected the unique flavor of their national cultures.
“Nowruz is a unique holiday for the Iranian and Turkic peoples, uniting many cultures. It is a true symbol of our unity and strength. Representatives of 175 ethnicities live in Tatarstan, who have always lived and will continue to live in friendship, harmony, and mutual understanding,” noted Renat Valiullin.
The students’ performance from Kazakhstan symbolized the boundless steppe and the freedom of nomads.
“It’s interesting that in western Kazakhstan, the celebration begins on March 14th. The idea is that after a long and harsh winter, people can finally visit each other, congratulate each other on the arrival of warmer weather, and share news. There’s a historical legend explaining why the holiday begins earlier in the west than in the east. It took a traveler about seven days to travel from the western to the eastern regions. Thus, by March 21st, the celebration had already encompassed the entire steppe. We, like the Tatar people, have a wonderful tradition we call “sarkyt.” The idea is that guests don’t leave empty-handed. The hosts pack some of the holiday dishes and gifts for them. This is done so that relatives who couldn’t be present in person can share the joy of the holiday and the taste of national dishes. This way, everyone takes home a piece of the shared celebration,” said Consul General Erlan Iskakov.
Aybiyke Asan kyzy, a fifth-year student at the Institute of International Relations, History, and Oriental Studies, performed a traditional Kyrgyz dance.
“A special, ritual dish called sumalak is always prepared for this day. The process of making it is unique. It is made from sprouted wheat grains with the addition of various dried fruits. It is boiled in cauldrons and then, according to tradition, shared with everyone – neighbors, friends, and acquaintances,” she shared.