Today, March 23, the international festival "Navruz – the Holiday of Friendship" was held at the BNTU "Polytechnik" sanatorium-preventorium. The event brought together the leadership of BNTU and foreign partner universities, as well as international students studying at the Polytechnic.
For reference: Navruz is the New Year's holiday according to the ancient calendar, celebrated for over three thousand years by many peoples of Central Asia, the Middle East, the Caucasus, and other regions. The celebration is a symbol of nature's renewal and hope for a better future. At BNTU, celebrating this holiday, becoming acquainted with the history and culture of friendly countries, has become a wonderful tradition.
From early morning, a mini-football tournament unfolded at the venue: teams representing Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, China, Libya, and an African squad competed for victory. Simultaneously, a culinary battle took place in a specially designated area – international students prepared pilaf according to traditional recipes. In addition, a field kitchen was set up offering treats from the Belarusian National Technical University: potato pancakes, pancakes, and aromatic tea.
The lively interaction among students from different corners of the world added a special atmosphere to the holiday. The students tried the refreshments and cheered on the athletes. Polina Khokhlova, Chairperson of the Student Council of the Faculty of Management and Humanities, spoke about why Navruz at BNTU is such an important event:
— I am very glad that BNTU celebrates Navruz. It brings together students from different countries, not only from Central Asia. We have students here from Russia; they all perform, celebrate, eat delicious food, try pilaf, and get to know each other, so this is a wonderful annual tradition. We've already been treated to delicious pancakes, we're waiting for the pilaf, we're rehearsing the concert, everyone is cheering and having fun – it's a great way to spend time.
After the cooking was finished, representatives of the BNTU administration began the tasting. Any participant of the celebration could join them. The jury evaluated three types of pilaf – from the teams of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. Each dish had its own unique flavor, so everyone could find pilaf to their liking and appreciate the culinary skills of the cooks.
Participants in the culinary competition approached the preparation of pilaf with great responsibility, each striving to convey the distinct taste characteristic of their people and to surprise the jury. Saytjoni Juraev shared his impressions:
— For me, Navruz at BNTU is very vibrant and interesting. Every year, a large-scale celebration is organized here for international students. It's very good, I am happy with such a holiday. This year, I also took part in cooking the pilaf. I'm quite excited; I want to know the opinion of the administration and other participants about the taste of our dish.
The holiday was filled with Eastern music, lively communication, a sea of smiles, and vivid emotions. Student Anneta Rakhmedova admitted:
— What impressed me the most were the dances. The girls danced very well, presenting their folk dances. I especially remember the Turkmen dance – very beautiful girls who danced wonderfully. Polina's Kazakh dance was also very memorable – very graceful and cool.
And Isebeafe-Abache Treasure Anurim summed up the celebration after tasting the pilaf:
— It's a very cool celebration, I've never danced so much. Also, there are so many cheerful, interesting, and cool people around; spending time with them is truly amazing. There's a lot of great, tasty food, and I learned a great deal of important and interesting information about different cultures.
Next, an awards ceremony took place for the winners of the mini-football tournament and the teams in the national cuisine competition. BNTU Rector Sergey Kharitonchik took the stage to honor the prize-winners.
— This is a very important holiday. Every year, it becomes a good tradition. We are touching upon your deep roots and history. I want you, dear students, to feel that Belarus is also your home; you are welcome here. I love this holiday for the friendship, hospitality, and joy you bring. It's not the first time I've tried pilaf at this holiday. The pilaf varies, and it's not easy to choose a winner because it's hard to discern all the nuances and settle on just one preference. But it's a wonderful experience when all the flavors mingle and only become more enjoyable.
The rector then announced the verdict of the competent jury. Each team was awarded a corresponding nomination:
Sergey Vasilyevich also congratulated the participants of the mini-football tournament. The prize-winning places were distributed as follows:
After the awards ceremony, the festival guests were treated to a vibrant journey into the world of art and national cultures – a concert featuring representatives from different countries. Polina Khokhlova from Kazakhstan opened the program. She performed an elegant Kazakh dance to folk music.
Next, poems about love for one's native land were recited on stage. Declarations of love in different languages were read by Svetlana Balabaeva (Russia), Petr Dobchinsky (Kazakhstan), Mengli Serdarova (Turkmenistan), Ali Muhammad (Uzbekistan), and Sayazam Davlatov (Tajikistan). Every word was filled with warmth and sincerity.
Liu Zhixin from China gifted the audience a heartfelt song in his native language. Following him, student Samir Dimitriev from Turkmenistan took the stage with an original song about Belarus – a touching declaration of love for the country that has become his second home.
Energetic African rhythms were showcased by Kayla and Nokutenda from Zimbabwe, followed by a Turkmen dance performed by Meisa Babaeva. Davron Mirzaev from Uzbekistan delighted the audience with his vocals, while musician Treasure Anurim from Nigeria masterfully played the saxophone, drawing admiration from the crowd.
The final chord of the concert was a performance by Nadezhda Kobyak, a soloist of the "Enamored Soul" vocal pop studio. Her lyrical song added a heartfelt touch to the event and provided a beautiful conclusion to the festive program.
The Navruz holiday became a symbol of boundless friendship between BNTU and the peoples of Eastern countries. We congratulate the winners of the competitions and wish all participants well-being, goodness, and peace!
