INRTU International Students Join Nationwide Far Eastern Victory Campaign
International students fr om INRTU’s Department of Russian Language Didactics visited the I. I. Molchanov-Sibirsky Irkutsk Regional State Universal Scientific Library, wh ere they attended a documentary screening and took part in a discussion on World War II and crimes against peace and humanity.
The event was held as part of a nationwide patriotic campaign marking the 81st anniversary of the victory of the Soviet and Chinese peoples over militarist Japan and the end of World War II. It was organised by the Department for Social and Cultural Adaptation and Integration of Foreign Nationals of the Irkutsk Region Governor and Government Office for Public and Ethnic Relations, the autonomous non-profit organisation Vector of Generations, and the I. I. Molchanov-Sibirsky Irkutsk Regional State Universal Scientific Library.
The students watched the 2025 documentary 12 Portraits of Evil: The Khabarovsk Trial, part of the Without a Statute of Limitations series. The film focused on the activities of Japan’s Kwantung Army and the war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by its forces. The screening was followed by a discussion with Maxim Tirskikh, PhD in Law and an expert lecturer of the Russian Society "Znanie" (Knowledge).
The participants learned more about the historical events surrounding the Khabarovsk Trial and discussed the importance of historical memory and the legal assessment of war crimes. Educational events of this kind help international students gain a deeper understanding of Russian history, explore the country’s cultural and historical heritage, and improve their Russian through meaningful discussion.
Particular attention was paid to the history of the Moire Ribbon, a Russian symbol commemorating the end of World War II. The international students received commemorative pins featuring the ribbon from the Irkutsk regional branch of the All-Russian Public Movement Victory Volunteers.
“For international students enrolled in Russian in Intercultural Context (Theory and Methods of Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language), taking part in an event like this is more than language practice. It is an important step towards their future profession. Students learn to understand historical and cultural contexts, build vocabulary related to history, law and intercultural dialogue, and see how language engages with memory and humanity. A future teacher of Russian as a foreign language needs more than a knowledge of grammar; they must also be able to talk with students about peace, responsibility and values. I am glad that our students are already ready to engage with events dealing with such serious issues. It means we are educating not simply people who know Russian, but thoughtful guides to culture and dialogue,”
said Alla Antonova, Head of the Department of Russian Language Didactics at the Baikal School of BRICS of INRTU.
One of the participants was Tavus Agadzhanova, a second-year student in the Russian in Intercultural Context program. She shared her impressions of the film.
“The film was very informative. It makes you reflect on the fact that humanity must never forget what matters most: the value of human life”
