From March 23 to 27, the VII Open Competition of National Cultures, Creativity and Beauty «Grazia International 2026» was held in Vitebsk.
In the final of the competition, which brought together participants from different countries (Belarus, Russia, China, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Nigeria, Turkmenistan, India), the Belarusian National Technical University was represented by a student of the Faculty of International Cooperation from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mapenzi Kitalano Beni.
For five days, the contestants actively rehearsed, attended excursions, learned about the culture and history of Vitebsk, and prepared for the final day.
The final day (March 27) began in the hall of the Vitebsk Concert Hall with the National Dish competition, where the participants showcased their country's popular dishes to the audience and the jury, sharing their recipes and cooking secrets. Beni presented a traditional Congolese dish, Fufu, a porridge made from sweet potatoes, wheat flour, bananas, and spices. The presentation was accompanied by guitar music to immerse the audience in the Congolese cultural experience. Beni was assisted by a support group: FMS students from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Yotemema Ramazani Josaphat and Kazadi Kabeya Jimmi.
The main part of the competition continued on the stage of the Vitebsk Concert Hall. As one of the hosts of the final, the organizers invited Mirzaev Davron, a student of the ICf at BNTU, to participate in the 6th Open Competition of National Cultures, Creativity, and Beauty «Grazia International 2025».The participants paraded in national and evening costumes, demonstrating their oratorical skills and creative talents. The topics of the oratorical competition were dedicated to the history of their country and its legends. Beni told the audience about his homeland, the Bafuliru tribe, the province of South Kivu, and the village of Lemera. The student explained that there are four national languages in the Democratic Republic of the Congo: Lingala, Swahili, Kikongo, and Tshiluba, but he also speaks French, English, and Russian. The main message of his speech was that despite the different languages, the people of the country share a common currency, cuisine, and, most importantly, music. «I want to show you how unique and multicultural Congo is. Although the people belong to different ethnic groups, we all have a lot in common», Beni shared. In the creative performance competition, the student performed the French song «Jubiler», which tells the story of God's love for humanity.
At the end of all the tests, the jury determined the winners in such categories as «Miss Charm», «Mr. Gallantry», «Miss Style», «Mr. Photo», «Miss and Mr. Tastenation», 1st and 2nd «Vice-Miss International», 1st and 2nd «Vice-Mr. International».
Next, the main winners were announced and awarded with diplomas and memorable gifts. Beni became «Mr. International 2026» and also won the «Viewer's Choice Award» by receiving the most votes in the online poll.
Next year, the event organizers invited Beni to become a member of the «Gracia International 2027» jury!
Congratulations to Beni on his well-deserved victory and we wish him continued success and new achievements!
