Belgorod as a Venue for International Dialogue during the Days of My Belgorod Event Marathon

The "My Belgorod" event marathon took place in the Belgorod region from May 21 to 22, 2026. The event brought together international experts, representatives of government authorities, the educational community, as well as foreign students and graduates of Russian universities.

The organizers of the marathon were:

• World Peoples Assembly,

• Association of Foreign Graduates and Students of Universities of the Belgorod Region,

• Government of the Belgorod Region.

The association, which brings together foreign students and graduates, is today an important platform for supporting the international student community of the region.

The partners and key venues of the events were:

• Belgorod State Technological University named after V. G. Shukhov,

• Belgorod University of Cooperation, Economics and Law.

The marathon became a space for international humanitarian cooperation, where issues of education, public diplomacy and cultural interaction were discussed.

The marathon program was preceded by an international conference "The Middle East: A Reliable Partner in International Education," held on May 20 at the venue of the Belgorod University of Cooperation, Economics and Law.

The conference participants included international experts, leaders and public figures from Middle Eastern countries, as well as representatives of the education sector. The main topics of discussion were:

• development of international educational cooperation,

• strengthening humanitarian ties,

• new formats of interaction with Middle Eastern countries.

Opening the conference, Rector of the Belgorod University of Cooperation, Economics and Law, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Professor Elena Isaenko emphasized:

— Today we are reaching a new level of cooperation with Arab states, building on serious experience of international interaction.

On May 21, an international delegation of honorary guests took part in a ceremony of laying a wreath and flowers at the Eternal Flame in Belgorod, paying tribute to the defenders of the fatherland. The event was attended by:

• Walid Hamid Shiltagh – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the League of Arab States to the Russian Federation;

• Ali Goutali – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Tunisian Republic, Advisor to the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation;

• Agata Wenczak – public figure;

• Mudalal Khoury – Chairman of the RUSSAR charitable foundation;

• Svetlana Kuznetsova – Russian public and political figure, leader of the public movement "We Are Russians", advisor to the chairman of the "A Just Russia" party, Active State Advisor of the Russian Federation, 3rd class;

• Yaser Allaham – Advisor to the Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly

and many others.

After the ceremony, the international delegation arrived at Belgorod State Technological University named after V. G. Shukhov, where they were welcomed by the acting rector, Sergei Glagolev. Members of the delegation laid flowers at the monument to the engineer and scientist Vladimir Shukhov, paying tribute to a man whose ideas and engineering legacy are known far beyond Russia.

Belgorod State Technological University named after V.G. Shukhov became the central venue for the opening of the "My Belgorod" event marathon, bringing together international guests, students, graduates and representatives of the expert community around the ideas of education, cultural exchange and cooperation.

In a greeting addressed to the participants of the marathon, Secretary General of the World Peoples Assembly Andrey Belyaninov noted:

— Today we are opening not just a series of events. We are creating a space for new opportunities, ideas and international communication that can grow into strong professional and human connections.

He also emphasized the importance of developing international humanitarian cooperation, supporting youth initiatives and strengthening public diplomacy.

Welcoming the participants of the marathon, acting rector of BSTU named after V.G. Shukhov, Sergei Glagolev, noted:

— Every year, the number of foreign students at BSTU named after V.G. Shukhov is growing. We value each of you, and our graduates – both Russian and foreign – are the best proof that the knowledge gained at the university works for the benefit of people all over the world.

As part of the marathon, a panel discussion took place with the participation of foreign students and graduates, representatives of government bodies, universities and the expert community. Participants discussed issues of education and adaptation of foreign students, the expansion of academic and humanitarian ties, as well as the role of graduates as important participants in international cooperation.

During his interaction with the youth, Hamid Shiltagh emphasized the special role of education and knowledge as the foundation for professional and personal development. As the organizers noted, many graduates of Russian universities become informal ambassadors of the region and maintain professional and human ties with the Belgorod region.

A separate part of the program was an exhibition of national cultures. A concert program featuring student creative groups added to the atmosphere of a great international celebration.

A special symbol of the marathon was the planting of named trees. On the university campus, trees of the World Peoples Assembly, the League of Arab States and other members of the international delegation appeared. The event became a symbol of long-term cooperation, friendship and a shared commitment to the development of humanitarian ties.

On May 22, the program continued at Belgorod State National Research University, where a meeting took place between the international delegation and representatives of the university leadership and the Government of the Belgorod Region.

The discussion was attended by:

• Andrey Milyokhin – Deputy Governor of the Belgorod Region – Minister of Education of the Belgorod Region,

• Dmitry Razumov – Advisor to the Governor of the Belgorod Region,

• Maxim Shaposhnikov – Minister of Culture of the Belgorod Region,

• Andrey Tsapkov – First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of the Belgorod Region,

• Pavel Stegantsev – Assistant to the Deputy Governor – Head of the Office of the Governor of the Belgorod Region

and representatives of the expert community.

The international delegation was welcomed at the university by Vice-Rector – Director of the Department of International Cooperation Nikolay Tsybulya.

During the meeting, participants discussed prospects for cooperation in the educational, cultural and economic spheres, as well as new international partnership formats. Special attention was paid to the development of humanitarian ties and the search for new mechanisms of international interaction.

Yaser Allaham presented the international projects of the World Peoples Assembly and spoke about the preparation of the World Public Summit, which will take place in Moscow in autumn 2026.

Representatives of the Government of the Belgorod Region confirmed their readiness to continue supporting the international humanitarian initiatives of the World Peoples Assembly aimed at strengthening cooperation and developing mutually beneficial partnership, and also expressed their interest in participating in the World Public Summit.

The Mahmoud Darwish Center for Arabic Language and Culture attracted particular attention from the guests. Staff members of the Department of International Cooperation of Belgorod State National Research University, Elena Nazarenko and Ahmed Mansour, spoke about the center's activities, its history and educational programs.

The next venue of the marathon was the Belgorod University of Cooperation, Economics and Law. The guests were welcomed in the Russian tradition with bread and salt; the atmosphere of the reception was enhanced by university students in Russian folk costumes. During the meeting, issues of international cooperation and educational initiatives were discussed. The guests were also presented with a concert program featuring university students, showcasing cultural diversity and creative potential.

An important part of the "My Belgorod" event marathon program were the screenings of award-winning films from the Vladimir Menshov International Film Festival "We Won Together." At the venue of the Belgorod University of Cooperation, Economics and Law, the documentary film "Born on the Nevsky Patch" was presented to the audience. Before the screening, the film's producer, Sergey Pochin, addressed the participants, noting the special significance of stories about the heroes of our time. They, more than anything else, are capable of inspiring youth and help maintain a living connection to historical memory.

During the event, Maxim Sidorov, Head of the Directorate for the Preservation of Historical Memory of the World Peoples Assembly, emphasized the importance of documentary cinema as an additional educational tool that allows young people to become acquainted with little-known pages of history and gain a deeper understanding of past events.

Another screening took place at the venue of Belgorod State Technological University named after V.G. Shukhov, where the film "Theater on the Front Line" was presented to the audience. The film's director, Marina Mironova, addressed the participants of the screening, emphasizing the importance of preserving historical memory and understanding past events through personal human stories.

The final event of the international delegation's program in Belgorod was the laying of flowers at the memorial dedicated to those who died on December 30, 2023. The ceremony became a symbolic conclusion to the marathon program, reminding that international cooperation is built not only on official meetings and agreements, but above all on respect, mutual support and shared values.

The "My Belgorod" marathon confirmed that strong international cooperation begins above all with human relationships, mutual respect and open dialogue.

Additional information is available on the official website of the World Peoples Assembly and at media@world-assembly.org.