Turkmenistan’s upper-secondary school students Polina Klubkova and Nurana Gubayeva have qualified for the final round of the 22nd V.G. Kostomarov International Russian Language Olympiad. The in-person final will be held in Moscow from November 13 to 19.

This year, 16 upper-secondary school students from 11 countries have been selected for the final. They represent Armenia, Belarus, Vietnam, Greece, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Serbia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

The students from Turkmenistan successfully passed the online qualifying round by completing assignments published on the «Education in Russian» internet portal of the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute.

The final tests will take place at the A.S. Pushkin State Russian Language Institute. Participants will complete written and oral creative assignments. For the written round, they will be asked to write essays on topics dedicated to important dates in Russian history and culture. During the oral round, students will deliver prepared presentations demonstrating their knowledge of the traditions, culture and general outlook of the Russian people.

According to Nikita Gusev, Rector of the Pushkin Institute, the Olympiad is not merely a competition but also helps promote intercultural dialogue among young people from different countries. During their stay in Moscow, participants will take part in a programme of various activities aimed at improving their Russian language skills and deepening their understanding of Russian culture.

As part of the visit, the finalists will attend lectures prepared by the institute’s experts, workshops conducted by volunteers from the «Russian Language Ambassadors Around the World» programme, and events of the 6th Kostomarov Forum. They will also visit Moscow museums and explore the city’s historical and cultural landmarks.

The winners and prize-winners of the Olympiad will receive diplomas. These diplomas entitle them to take a three-week online course free of charge as part of an additional education programme at the Pushkin Institute.

The International Russian Language Olympiad for foreign school students has been held since 1972. Its founders are the Pushkin State Russian Language Institute and the International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature. The competition is organised with the support of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Rossotrudnichestvo.

The full list of students who have qualified for the Olympiad final is available on the official website.