Ded Moroz, Khorovod and Olivier: Foreign Participants of International Friendship Clubs Learned about New Year Traditions of Russia
With the New Year around the corner, foreignparticipants of the International Friendship Clubs gained an insight into the festive traditions of Russia. The project brought together young people from Moscow, the Kirov, Yaroslavl, Ryazan, Arkhangelsk, Tambov, Orel, Penza, and Volgograd Regions, as well as the Altai Territory, the Republics of Mari El, Sakha, and other regions.
Young Russians introduced their foreign peers to the unique ways New Year is celebrated in Russia, while international participants shared what this holiday is like in their countries. Over 80 foreign students, members of the International Friendship Club of the Kirov region, took part in a quest where they decorated a Christmas tree, danced around it in a circle (khorovod) with Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost) and Snegurochka (The Snow Maiden), learned popular songs, and discovered the recipes for traditional New Year salads.
“Today we learned about Olivier salad (The Russian salad) and how to make wishes properly on New Year's Eve. In Russia, New Year is a special, family-oriented, and heartfelt holiday”, shared Khaidar Khalil from Sudan, Leader of the International Friendship Club of the Kirov Region.
A delegation from Iraq, Republic of Mari El’s partner country, arrived in the region. During the visit, international participants not only learned about the New Year traditions of Russia’s peoples but also explored key landmarks of the region.
“During our trip, we witnessed the kind soul of the peoples of the Republic of Mari El. This is undoubtedly really valuable. Young people from Iraq will tell their compatriots back home that this is one of the most significant regions of Russia, one that has preserved its traditions, culture, and goodwill. We hope that the Republic of Mari El will become a bridge of friendship between Iraq and Russia”, said Al-Barghash Alak Ali Mohammed, Director General of the partner Russian House in Iraq.
In the Ryazan Region, Russian and international students decorated a New Year tree together, and performed on stage showcasing dances, songs, andtraditional musical instruments.
“New Year is a wonderful holiday that unites people worldwide. Our event proved it, as one venue brought together Russian and international students from theuniversities of the Ryazan Region. They performed on stage and demonstrated their knowledge of various cultural traditions. We hope that in 2025, through the International Friendship Club, our cooperation with foreign youth, universities, and educational institutions will strengthen”, stated Alimurad Ramazanov, Leader of the International Friendship Club of the Ryazan Region.
In every region, International Friendship Club participants experienced the New Year atmosphere in an interactive format. In the Yaroslavl region, Russian and international youth visited a countryside estate, built a snowman together, and played tug-of-war. The Penza region offered a workshop on making paper snowflakes. In Moscow, participants hosted a conversation club about New Year traditions in different countries, went on a tour of the New Year-decorated capital, and visited a dog shelter. In the Arkhangelsk region, participants decorated northern cookies called ‘Kozuli’, made New Year postcards, and created a map of wishes for the upcoming year. In the Volgograd Region, Russian and international representatives participated in a workshop on crafting Christmas-tree decorations and painting gypsum bas-reliefs, while also learning about popular New Year films.
International participants of the Friendship Clubs extended their New Year greetings to Russians. Mohammed Al-Rakhabi from Yemen, representing the Yaroslavl region, wished prosperity and development for the region and encouraged the youth to stay united in building the future together.
International Friendship Clubs are a flagship project of the World Youth Festival Directorate, aimed at fostering international cooperation between Russia’s regions and the countries that participated in the WYF-2024. The project has already been launched in 81 regions of Russia. The plan is to establish a total of 90 International Friendship Clubs, covering all Russia’s regions and the Sirius Federal Territory.
Overview:
The World Youth Festival took place on March 1–7, 2024 in Sirius, according to the Decree of Russian President Vladimir Putin on the development of international youth cooperation. The WYF-2024 brought together 20,000 young leaders from 190 countries.
On the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation, the WYF will be held in Russia on a regular basis – once in six years. Also, every six years 10,000 young people from all over the world will get together at the International Youth Festival, and in between, international themed gatherings and events will be held under the auspices of the WYF. Festival events of various formats will be held in Russia annually.
According to the instructions of the President of the Russian Federation on the preservation and development of the Festival legacy, the World Youth Festival Directorate continues the work aimed at strengthening international youth cooperation.