HSE Gathers the 'Whole World at One HSE' on National Unity Day
On November 4, the Higher School of Economics organised a celebration open to all Muscovites – the ‘Whole World at One HSE.’ Guests were able to visit open lectures by HSE professors, attend career aptitude testing, watch sci-fi movies, and buy homemade crafts and baked goods at a charity fair. The HSE News Service talked to several participants about the projects they presented.
Irina Kozlova, the founder of the Open Your Eyes project, and Yana Belyakova, the project's coordinator, Faculty of Communication, Media, and Design, Year 4
Our project has been around since 2008. It was initially a fundraiser – the team collected money at HSE to send to orphanages and hospitals. We mostly raised money through charity fairs. Crafters present their own handmade jewellery and toys at our events, and our guests leave donations that go entirely to charity.
We are now working with a boarding school for special children in Kolchuga. We thought up a programme for them – virtual travel to different countries around the world. We go to the kids, introduce them to different cultures, organise master classes for them, develop motor skills, etc. To do this we need textiles, stationery, paint, fabric, and a lot more. The proceeds from today’s event will actually go towards these things in particular.
Igor Bulashev (right), the ICEF Outreach project, Faculty of Business and Management, Year 2
ICEF Outreach came about eight years ago. It all started as a project for ICEF students, but we’ve now grown to the size of all of HSE. We have volunteers from all of the faculties and we work with three orphanages located in the Ryazan, Yaroslavl, and Vladimir regions. Once or twice a month we sell homemade baked goods for charity at HSE’s various campuses. Students bake everything themselves and bring it to the bake sale. We use the proceeds to finance our trips to orphanages. When we get to the kids, we organise special interactive games and programmes made specifically for them. We also carry out mini-lectures, trivia, and master classes. I, for example, often cook with the kids. I’ve been coordinating the bake sale for three years now, and because of this, I was hired as a pastry chef at the restaurant Schastye.
Polina Kalashnikova (right), the organiser of a master class in weaving eco-friendly baskets out of grass, Faculty of Communication, Media, and Design, Year 3
Today I'm teaching people how to weave baskets out of various dried grasses. In the summer you can use plants from a meadow, and in the winter we bought lavender and picked what was left in the field. The equipment used in basket weaving is similar to a loom. We are using conventional cardboard, thread, and a piece of line to create a floral rug. My ‘students’ are able to create gorgeous decorations in a matter of just thirty minutes.
Sofia Lysenko, the organiser of a master class in calligraphy, School of Asian Studies (Japan), Year 3
The secret to calligraphy is patience or else you might fail from the get-go. Like in any art, it takes years to master your craft. You should never rush while doing calligraphy, and you can think of it as a form of therapy since the writing relaxes you. More people came than we had been expecting, and everyone is excited to try to draw something. We teach them the very basics.
Alena Minayeva, the organiser of a master class in origami, School of Asian Studies (China), Year 2
Today we made simple things – little boxes, cranes, and lotus. There were people there who even knew more than I did and started making a dragon. Origami is an excellent way to relax, especially for those who like to think while doing something with their hands.