2013 SU Update: ‘Student Solidarity Week’ started in Tatarstan

Larisa Sulima, Chief of Staff of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate

KAZAN – An open session of the Tatarstan Student League’s presidium that opened in Kazan State Medical University on November 14th, marked the kickoff of the Student Solidarity Week. Among the honorary guests attending the event was Larisa Sulima, Chief of Staff of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate.

Apart from members of the Tatarstan Student League’s presidium, the solemn session saw the participation of Russian State Duma Deputy Ildar Berkheev, Chairman of the Youth Public Chamber under the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan Evgeny Efimov, Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan Andrey Kondratyev, Kazan State Medical University Rector Alexey Sozinov, Chief of Staff of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate Larisa Sulima, Pro-Rector for Educational Work of Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University Arif Mezhvedilov and also activists and leaders of Tatarstan’s public youth organizations.

Leaders of one of the largest university organizations inRussiadelivered a report on implementation of such key social projects as a review contest of student residence halls, student grants for using public transport, etc. According to the session’s attendees, implementation of the trilateral cooperation agreement between the Tatarstan Government, Rector Council of the Republic of Tatarstan and the Republican Student League that will be prolonged on November 17th at the meeting of student leaders with Tatarstan’s Prime Minister Ildar Khalikov serves as surety for the full exercise of key legal rights and social interests by Tatarstan students. A new edition of the trilateral cooperation agreement will put concrete ministries and departments, specialized higher education establishments and committees of the Tatarstan Student League in charge of implementing a separate field of cooperation.

Along with traditional student projects focused on improving social protection policy, unveiling youth’s scientific, intellectual and creative potential and strengthening sports traditions, leaders of student self-governance of the republic focus their activities on the preparation of the 27th Summer Universiade in Kazan. «Having signed the partnership agreement with the Universiade Directorate in February 2010, the Student League got enthusiastically engaged in promoting ideas of the World University Summer Games among youth and made an inestimable contribution to the implementation of such a large-scale project as the FISU Flag Relay», said Larisa Sulima. «However, a great number of major tasks such as promotion and development of volunteer movement and building a team of young professionals that will make a personal contribution to staging the Games in Kazan will be put upon shoulders of student leaders in the next two years. In this respect we need to increase our cooperation with the International Student Association of Tatarstan.»

She also emphasized the role of the Tatarstan Student League and its initial organizations in promoting a healthy lifestyle and building a healthy nation. Students of Kazan State Medical University shared their experience and achievements in this field. Among the social projects regularly implemented by them are ‘We Are Healthy! Join Us!’ march, republican mass exercise, cricket league and some others.

The program of the Student Solidarity Week that will run till November 18th will include a number of events such as a warm-up football match between the Student League’s squad and its partner organizations, solemn meeting of student activists with Tatarstans’ Prime Minister Ildar Khalikov, final of the Republican Student Songwriting Competition, etc.

(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)