Experience the Whole World at HSE DAY
Students from more than 20 countries and almost 200 international staff members currently study and work at HSE. With this in mind, HSE Day in Gorky Park will offer a platform for intercultural communication in the most varied of fields, from music to breaking stereotypes about certain countries and cultures. Here, international students will take the lead, and you’ll be able to learn about various cultures first-hand.
Who will teach me to dance Bachata?
The International Student Support platform will hold master classes on Bachata (the Dominican national dance), Mehendi henna drawing, and the ‘Whole World in One HSE’ team quest, which will put all of the continents on one map. Furthermore, there will be an ‘International Quiz’, which will help you improve your knowledge of the geography, history, ethnic and cultural specifics of various countries. This quiz has been organized by international students together with volunteers from the International Student Support department.
You’ll also be able to participate in the ‘Whole World in One HSE’ parade of nationalities, which starts at 2 pm and shall proceed through the park with the flags of over 20 nations.
Do you speak ‘Brazilian’?
What we know about Brazil are mostly stereotypes: carnival, soap operas, soccer, and Havaianas flip-flops. However, you can only really learn about a country if you live there for some time or make friends with someone from there.
The idea of the International Street is to introduce HSE Day guests to the cultures of Brazil, Moldova, China, Uzbekistan, Italy, Mexico, and other countries through students who have come to HSE on full-degree or exchange programmes. Representatives will tell you about their cultures, teach you some simple phrases in their languages (people don’t speak Brazilian in Brazil!), treat you to some traditional dishes, and invite you to take part in some national games.
Where can I get some academic knowledge?
HSE Open Talks, an English-language lecture centre, will be opened at festival. There, you’ll get a chance to meet HSE’s international staff lecturers and researchers. Scholars in various disciplines from around the world will tell you about their studies and discuss such topics as corruption in China, Soviet-U.S. relations during the Great Depression, philosophical approaches to computer technologies, the economic benefits of digital waste recycling, and so on.
Is there a simple way to achieve a Zen state?
The tea ceremony is a very important tradition that came to Russia from China. Since then, it has changed a lot, and now features barankas and samovars. Some hospitable Russian students are inviting international students and staff to participate in a real Russian tea ceremony at the Russian Tea Room.
The Chinese also invented kites, which later served meteorologists, physicists, and aircraft designers. Flying a kite is also a nice, relaxing activity, as well as a way to distract your view from the ground and negative thinking. The Ethnic Corner welcomes anyone who wants to take a break from the noisy festival activities and invites them to some ethnic master classes. You’ll be able to stretch out on mattresses in the relaxation zone, as well as craft something beautiful, draw henna, or create and fly your own kite. After all, isn’t crafting without fuss one of the simplest and most effective Zen practices?
Will anyone chat with me in Armenian?
At the Armenian Speaking Club, they’ll say ‘Bari or!’, which means ‘Good afternoon!’. Many of the platform’s guests can already speak Armenian, even though they are not from Armenia. That’s because the Armenian Speaking Club has been opened at HSE, where you can learn and practice spoken Armenian. The Armenian Club will also introduce you to this country’s music and representatives of different professions, who can come and talk directly with HSE students. This introduction to a new culture will be continued through some master classes, musical activities and contests organized by the HSE Chamber of Nationalities, a student organization that has been promoting intercultural dialogue among HSE students for five years.
See more about the HSE Day programme.