A festival of Russian Culture to link Moscow and Dublin

International Affairs at DIT were very proud to be involved in organising the Festival of Russian Culture February 15th - 21st 2010.

The Russian Festival showcased Russian art, folk crafts, food, storytelling and music.  

http://www.visitdublin.com/downloads/russianfestival.pdf

DIT Conservatory hosted masterclasses and an evening concert as part of the Festival. DIT was honoured to host Honoured Artist of Russia, Felix Korobov from the Moscow Novaya Opera Theater and the SEKO string quartet.

http://www.novayaopera.ru/en/structlist/Conductor/10.html

Masterclasses were led by conductor Felix Korobov at the Conservatory of Music.  

This was followed by an evening concert  featuring the Russian SEKO String Quartet together with David O’Doherty and Catherina Lemoni from the Conservatory. Music was by Ravel, Debussy, Chopin, Borodin and Shostakovich.

Pancake Day, Sunday 21st of February saw various activities for all the family taking place in Meeting House Square, Temple Bar including music performances, children’s activities including face painting, Russian storytelling, and food stalls to give a taste of Russia.

Fourth-year DIT Event Management Student, Evgeniya Em (pictured with the microphone on left) took part in the planning and hosting of the Festival.

"I am a Russian student at D.I.T. and I had great chance to get involved in the Festival of Russian Culture that took place in Dublin in February 2010. This celebration was organised the first time in Dublin's history and it showcased Russian art, food, folk craft and music.

The festival brought people together and gave them an opportunity to learn and experience Russian culture and traditions. It is a great start of building relationships between our countries and people.

Also, participation in this festival, highly contributed to my experience in event management as it is exactly what I am studying in the D.I.T. Evgeniya Em :-)"

Photos (C) Ashley Loftus

A First for DIT in Kazakhstan

For a number of years DIT has been receiving scholarship students from the prestigious and highly competitive Bolashak International Scholarship of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan (http://www.edu-cip.kz/).

On the 11th of February this year DIT scored a first by being the first overseas institution, in receipt of Bolashak scholars to carry out a conferring ceremony in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. On this occasion His Excellency, Philip McDonagh Ambassador of Ireland awarded a Masters in Computing from Dublin Institiute of Technology to Ms Gulden Balabekova, in the presence of Ms Yerkezhan Apsemetova, Vice President of the Bolashak Programme, and Ms Gulzhanat Gafu, Head of the European Countries Section and members of Ms Balabekova’s family.

Not only was it a first for DIT but also for the Ambassador: just one hour earlier he had presented his credentials in the Presidential Palace thus making the graduation his first official function as Irish Ambassador to Kazakhstan!