The international theme session «UNESCO World Heritage Sites» was held on April 17, 2025, by the UNESCO Chair on «International Education and the Integration of Migrants» of Moscow Pedagogical State University (Moscow, Russia) and the UNESCO Chair on «Integrating Intercultural Education in Higher Education Institutions for Global Citizenship» of Helwan University (Cairo, Egypt) as part of the UNITWIN International Cooperation Network. On the eve of World Heritage Day (Monuments and Historical Sites Day), which is observed on April 18 by the international community, students from two universities participated in the conference.
The UNESCO Chair of MPGU opened the session as part of the ongoing «Intercultural Dialogue and Cooperation in Education» project, which the university started in 2024 as a priority area of engagement with the Global South and BRICS countries. In the current world, international cooperation focuses on educating young people about the preservation and popularization of world heritage, which affects the largest segments of the global population.
In her welcoming speech, Lubna Shehab, Co-chair of the UNESCO Chair of Helwan University, noted: «By preserving traditions, we preserve the dignity of people, … and this fully corresponds to UNESCO’s program guidelines to promote the active involvement of young people in the protection of heritage, the formation of a sense of responsibility among young people for the common baggage of humanity». In turn, Yury Goryachev, Scientific Supervisor for the UNESCO Chair of MPGU, recalled that Russia and Egypt are parties to the World Heritage Convention adopted in 1972, and that in 2022 Russia hosted the events of the International Forum dedicated to its 50th anniversary.
The meeting was moderated by Marina Krivenkaya, Professor and Program Coordinator of UNESCO Chair of MPGU, Director of the Center for Regional Studies and Humanitarian and Educational Cooperation, and Professor Mayada Belal, UNESCO Chairholder of Helwan University.
For their presentation to their Egyptian colleagues, MPGU master students specializing in teaching and popularizing the Russian language, culture, and history among foreigners selected presented UNESCO World Heritage sites from Russia to Egyptian colleagues, showcasing diverse eras and cultures of the peoples of the multinational state. For instance, Varvara Vorontsova discussed the Trinity Sergius Lavra as the spiritual hub of Orthodox Russia, Vitalina Kholomeeva – St. Petersburg’s historic center, and Arina Burova talked about Derbent, Russia’s oldest city, which has long served as a cross-cultural meeting place and a draw for various ethnic groups.
Helwan University postgraduate students’ presentations included scientific and research components in addition to an educational one. Heba Allah Moamen offered a sustainable management strategy based on the Grand Egyptian Museum as an example, while Aliaa Raafat Youssef proposed a management plan for Cairo University’s Anthropological Museum. The last performance from the Egyptian side did not leave anyone indifferent and especially touched the participants. «Intangible Cultural Heritage: Kahk El-Eid: A Sweet Journey Through Time» is the lovely title of the «delicious» material that Alaa Abd El Aziz presented. The student described the background of the local custom of creating festive cookies with dates – and students found in the tradition that common feature that united people all over the world.
Marina Krivenkaya
Viktoriya Reshetnikova
