In the presence of friends and partners, including the First Secretary of the Embassy of Russia in Bulgaria, a representative of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation - Mr Robert Shestakov, the Consul at the Consulate General of Russia in Varna, Mr Maxim Alyoshin, the Director of the Directorate of "Education, Youth Activities and Sport" of the Municipality of Varna, Mrs Lilia Hristova, senior expert Tsonka Kuzmanova of the  Regional Inspectorate of Education- Varna, the Director of "Geo Milev" Secondary School - Mrs Yordanka Yunakova, the Director of Eighth Language Secondary School "Al. Pushkin", Mr. Svetlan Iliev, a lot of students, lecturers and friends, the Russian Centre of Varna Free University "Chernorizets Hrabar" celebrated its sixth birthday.

    The celebration was attended by the President of VFU, Prof. Anna Nedyalkova, DSc, the Rector of the University – Prof. Galya Gercheva, DSc, the Vice-Presidents of VFU, Assoc. Prof. Kr. Nedyalkov and Mr Yani Yanev, the Vice-Rector, Prof. P. Pavlov, the Deans of the three faculties, the Director of the Institute of Technology and department heads.

    Prof. Anna Nedyalkova,DSc addressed the guests, focusing on the significance of the Russian University Centre in the strategy for the internationalization of VFU, and shared her deep conviction that the knowledge of the Russian language, literature, history and culture not only expands the horizons of thinking but also supports the career development of young professionals. She expressed her hope that many secondary school graduates will choose to study at Varna Free University because they can study the Russian language and certify their skills and knowledge.The President of the University also announced the fundamentally new acquisition for VFU - result of the fruitful partnership with the Russkiy Mir Foundation: the opening of the Virtual reading room of the Russian State Library with free access to the Electronic Dissertation Hall, thus expanding the opportunities for Bulgarian and foreign doctoral students and young scientists to obtain information of the latest developments in their professional fields. The knowledge of the Russian language is the key to using this rich scientific information.

    Over 25,000 have been the visitors at the centre for the six years of its existence.The Centre has hosted more than 15 seminars, 6 international qualification schools, roundtable discussions, exhibitions, conferences and scientific forums, public lectures and language internships in Russia. Over 700 teachers have improved their skills. The centre has won numerous awards and diplomas for its good work, high professionalism and successful implementation of partnerships.

    Proof of this is the appreciation of the Executive Director of the Russkiy Mir FoundationVladimir Cochin, who during one of his visits to the Centre, said: "At Varna Free University they know precisely how to achieve the highest level of education, both in word and in deed."     The International Summer Qualification School "Modern Pedagogical Technologies in Teaching Russian as a Foreign Language" is one of the most important events organized by the Centre. It involves young Russian language teachers from 13 European countries.   

    Established to be information-resource and educational centre to help students, teachers and citizens, the Russian Centre of Varna Free University offers an ideal learning environment not only for students of Russian language, but also for specialists in other professional fields. Trademark of the Centre are the unconventional ideas and events that attract participants from around the world and are also planned in its program for 2015.

    Congratulations for the work of the university and its Russian Centre were offered by Mr Robert Shestakov and Mr Maxim Alyoshin. Mr Shestakov wished happy birthday to the Centre and noted that this is one of the active centres in Europe, through which the university implemented interesting grant projects. Mrs Lilia Hristova stressed that six years now the Russian Centre of the university has been an attractive place not only for training and qualification of specialists in Russian studies and Russian language learners, but also a creative spot, which undoubtedly contributes Varna Free University to continue to be not only unique educational institution in the city, but life-affirming cultural centre.

    Greetings were received by the Executive Director of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Mr V.V. Cochin, Prof. Zapryan Kozludzhov, PhD, Rector of Plovdiv University "Paisii Hilendarki", the Regional Inspectorate of Education - Varna, the Capital City Library and directors of secondary schools across the country.     Students from Russia and Kazakhstan took active part in the event - Vita Petrovskaya (4^th-year student, majoring in "Business Administration and Management") and Halif Gilyov (preparatory course), who shared their impressions of the training at the university and their feelings for the Russian Centre as a second home.

    The 3^rd-year student majoring in "International Economic Relations", Dimitar Ivanov - member of VFU team, which took second place at the International Student Festival in the Russian language in Belgrade in September last year, gave an account of  the festival, the emotion and the friends, found with the help of the Russian language.   Traditionally, students were awarded for excellence in the Russian language learning at the university and their active participation in the activities of the Russian Centre. Simona Angelova and Simona Vidolova (2^nd – year students, majoring in "International Relations and Law") and Theodora Panaiotova and Neziha Osmanova (1^st – year students, majoring in "International Relations and Law") received certificates and books.

    A competition entitled "The Greatness of the Human Spirit in Russian Literature" was announced on the occasion of the year of literature in Russia. The competition is open to 11^th– and  12^th – grade students who are given the opportunity to show their talent and mastery in any genre sphere - a poem, short story, essay or drawing. The competition winner will become a scholarship winner of the Russian Centre of VFU, which allows him/her training in a chosen by him/her major with a scholarship, covering 100% of the tuition fee for the first year.

    On the occasion of the Year of Literature and as a final of the celebration, the student Tea Stoyanova from "Geo Milev" Secondary School, winner of the Super-finals in Moscow in the international competition "Live Classics" presented the story by Constantine Paustovski "Basket with Fir Cones". Her path to victory in this prestigious international competition in Moscow also started from VFU, where the regional round of the competition was held.

    "Our success is a result not only of hard work, but thanks to the management of the University, which consider  the Centre as an instrument that opens it to the world and attracts more students who speak or want to study Russian at the University," said the Director the Russian Centre, Prof. Galina Shamonina, PhD. Among the achievements she emphasized the work on the contract of the establishment of a Test Centre of Pushkin Institute and the possibility of obtaining international certificates in Russian. Entering the seventh year of its existence, the Russian Centre is aiming not only to be a cultural window to the world, but also to continue to implement projects related to innovative technologies in training. The Centre has also planned off-site seminars for teachers and students from different Bulgarian cities. In the coming year, the Centre will contribute to the implementation of Master’s programmes of VFU jointly with Russian universities and the involvement of universities - partners of Russia in Erasmus +.