INRTU Welcomes Spring with Maslenitsa and Tsagaan Sar
This year, Maslenitsa coincided with the traditional spring holiday of the Mongolian peoples, Tsagaan Sar. To mark this notable event, a festival called the “Sun and Moon” was held at the square of Irkutsk National Research Technical University (INRTU), featuring interactive areas with contests and delicious treats for students and staff.
The festival, which brought together the traditions from different cultures, began with performances by groups from the INRTU Center for Cultural and Educational Work. Guests were welcomed by Daria Lobanova, INRTU Vice-Rector for Youth Policy:
“In the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia, it is especially symbolic that Maslenitsa and the Lunar New Year coincide. Today we can immerse ourselves in different cultures. Both holidays symbolize the renewal of nature, the awakening of life, and hope for the better. We are pleased to welcome you to our ‘Sun and Moon’ festival; today we have a vibrant program that will warm your hearts”.
The Consul General of Mongolia in Irkutsk, Batsukh Ichinkhorloo, thanked the event organizers and wished the participants prosperity, peace, and happiness, emphasizing the importance of cultural dialogue and strengthening friendly ties between peoples.
Elena Apanovich, Acting Minister of Education of the Irkutsk Region, emphasized the importance of celebrating together as a way to better understand one another.
“Many nationalities live in peace and harmony in the Irkutsk Region. INRTU has long been a territory for meetings of different cultures. Celebrating holidays together is a wonderful tradition for getting to know each other”.
Joining the congratulations was Alexey Kotelnikov, Head of the Representative Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia in Irkutsk Region, who highlighted INRTU as a university that values and respects the cultures of its international students.
The Head of the Department for Implementation of Strategic Directions at the Ministry for Youth Policy of the Irkutsk Region, Inga Shaidurova, thanked the organizers for the importance of raising youth in the spirit of interethnic harmony:
“Educating youth in the spirit of interethnic harmony and unity is one of the top priorities of state youth policy in Russia, and this festival is a vivid demonstration that we support and develop cultural dialogue”.
The INRTU Student Campus prepared a traditional fair for the festival's guests. The Baikal Hospitality School, the University's Catering Centre, and the university cafe “Buuzy Vuza” set up Russian and Buryat-Mongolian food stations. Students were treated to buuzas, blinis (pancakes), syrniki (curd cheese pancakes), shangi, and traditional white foods.
The INRTU Trade Union Students Club organized a game program. Students enjoyed winter charades, valenki battle, ball contests, Mongolian and Buryat bone casting (“shagai”), a lesson on the structure of a yurt, and a prize draw from INRTU among subscribers to the "Voice of INRTU" and "Irkutsk Polytech" channels in the MAX app. The lucky winner of a traditional buuznitsa (a pot for cooking buuzas) was Daria Butskevich, a student at the INRTU School of Economics, Management and Law. A blinnitsa (pancake griddle) was won by Artem Fedosov, a first-year student at the INRTU School of Architecture, Construction and Design.
Alexey Stepanov, a student at the INRTU School of Information Technology and Data Science, believes that such holidays are an excellent way to learn about the traditions of other peoples:
"The fun interactive activities and the real festive atmosphere were delightful. I believe the most important thing is the good mood we create for each other. It's great that you can celebrate both Maslenitsa and Tsagaan Sar at the same time".
Alla Shishkina, a first-year student at the INRTU School of Subsurface Resource Management, managed to enjoy pancakes and stuffed pastries while reciting poems and humorous folk rhymes.
“I think I was lucky to celebrate the spring festival of two peoples at once for the first time. There were so many treats, and they were all very tasty. Among the interactive activities, I most remember writing on birch bark and playing the ‘shagai’ game”.
