Opening of the International cultural and educational online project "Russian Saturdays"

On January 30, 2021, the opening of the International cultural and Educational online project Russian Saturdays took place. The project was organized by the International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature (MAPRYAL), the Association of Russian Linguists of Slovakia (ARS) and Lomonosov Moscow State University. The event, held on the platform of the Institute of Russian Language and Culture of Moscow State University, was attended by 150 people from Russia, Spain, Kazakhstan, China, Slovakia, Uzbekistan and Japan.

The idea of Russian Saturdays belongs to the Vice-rector of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Doctor of Philology, Professor, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Education Tatiana Kortava and the chairman of the ARS, Professor Eva Kollarova. The main goal of the project, as defined by Tatiana Kortava, is to show the power of unity of thought, word and artistic image in strengthening and expanding the Russian cultural and humanitarian space in the world. It was this synthetic approach that determined the innovative nature of this project. Russian Culture Adviser, Chairman of the Presidential Council for the Russian Language, and President of MAPRYAL Vladimir Tolstoi said at the opening of the Russian Saturdays that such meetings are necessary and important especially now, during the difficult period of the pandemic and border closures for the whole world. He expressed the hope that the project will not only remain remote, but will continue in the post-quarantine period. Vladimir Tolstoi proposed to hold one of the events in Yasnaya Polyana, where he cordially invited everyone.

The guest of the first Russian Saturday was the famous writer, rector of the Gorky Literary Institute, Doctor of Philology Alexey Varlamov. He spoke about how he became a writer, how his creative path developed, and what role his alma mater, Moscow University, plays in his life. Answering the questions of the participants of the meeting, Alexey Varlamov doubted the possibility of a creative return to the heroes of his earlier works, named the languages into which his books were translated, spoke about the role of literary awards in his life as a writer, and reflected on the influence of the beard on the writer's work.

The questions that came to Alexey Varlamov from the participants from Russia, China, and Spain were so many that it was simply impossible to answer them all. But the one that was asked by the teacher of the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Trnava (Slovakia), he could not ignore. After all, it was there 15 years ago that Alexey Varlamov worked as a guest teacher for two years and began one of his 6 writer's biographies. Interestingly, the host of Russian Saturdays, the deputy director of IRLC Valeriy Chastnykh. The author, with whom Varlamov has a forty-year friendship, in 2020 defended his PhD thesis on the biographical genre in the work of Alexey Varlamov.

The round table Cultural Eye of Russia was fascinating. The story of Kenichiro Takahashi, a professor of Osaka University, about why he became interested in Russian culture sounded like a fairy tale. When he was entering the physics department of the University of Tokyo and was about to study astrophysics, Takahashi-san was shocked to discover Russian music. Now he not only continues to study the history of Russian music, but also plays the piano professionally. Everyone was convinced of this after listening to a romance based on the poems of Alexander Pushkin performed by a Japanese singer, whom Takahashi-san virtuosically accompanied.

The speech of Doctor of Philology, Professor Tatiana Kortav was an elegant bridge that connected Russian culture with distant Japan and America. She told how, under the shadow of Mount Fuji-san, the futurist hooligan David Burliuk turned into a lyrical impressionist.

A well-known philologist, professor of the Saratov University Valeriy Prozorov made a very interesting report on the role of dramatization in the teaching of classical literature. Valeriy Prozorov shared his experience of holding annual Khlestakov festivals in Saratov, the literary homeland of the famous hero of the comedy The Government Inspector. His speech aroused the keen interest of the audience and the discussion of the problem of modern perception and teaching of classical Russian literature.

Yan Kuan, a lecturer at Shenzhen MSU-BIT University, presented a report on the perception of Russian literature of the 20th century in modern China. According to the speaker, today readers show great interest in those works of Russian literature that were unknown in China fifty years ago.

The round table ended with a bright speech by the Rector of Tver State University, Professor Ludmila Skakovskaia. It was dedicated to the literary traditions of the Tver land from the Instructions of the Tver Bishop Simeon, created at the end of the 13th century, to modern almanacs of young Tver poets and writers. It was no accident that Ludmila Skakovskaia's speech ended the first meeting of the project. At the suggestion of Tatiana Kortava, the next Russian Saturday will be hosted by Tver.

Saying goodbye to the participants of the first Russian Saturday, Professor Eva Kollarova, President of the Association of Russian Speakers of Slovakia, thanked the speakers and listeners and invited everyone to the next meeting, which will be held on February 13.