The 18th Persian Language and Literature Student Olympiad Held in Russia

According to the Public Relations Office of the Saadi Foundation, the closing ceremony was attended by Kazem Jalali, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Russia; Masoud Ahmadvand, Iran’s Cultural Counselor and the Saadi Foundation’s representative in Russia; Alexey Maslov, Head of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University; as well as a number of Persian language professors and Iranologists.

Addressing the ceremony, Ahmadvand expressed his appreciation to the participating professors and students, stating that the Olympiad has been held continuously for nearly two decades, with only a two-year interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that this continuity reflects the commitment of the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran to the development of Persian language education in Russia.

Referring to the preliminary rounds held at various Russian universities, he added that 33 students from Moscow, Astrakhan, Pyatigorsk, Makhachkala, and St. Petersburg ultimately advanced to the final stage, where they received certificates and awards.

In his remarks, Ambassador Kazem Jalali pointed to the growing trajectory of relations between Tehran and Moscow, describing the future of bilateral ties as promising. He stated that by learning the Persian language, students can play a constructive role in strengthening the bonds between the two nations.

He described Persian as a language with a millennia-old heritage and a platform for cultural interaction, emphasizing that in light of expanding bilateral cooperation, the need for a greater number of specialists in Persian and Russian languages is felt more than ever.

Highlighting the civilizational and security commonalities shared by the two countries, the Iranian ambassador stressed that enhancing language education in both nations could contribute to mutual understanding and deeper cooperation.

For his part, Alexey Maslov underscored the importance of Persian language instruction at the institute, describing it as instrumental in advancing Iran–Russia relations. He also expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the Iranian Embassy, the Cultural Office, and the Saadi Foundation’s representative office in organizing the Olympiad.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, winners in five categories—Translation, Conversation, Listening Comprehension, Grammar and Writing, and Persian Literature—were announced, and first- to third-place recipients were honored. The program concluded with recitations of poems by prominent Iranian poets.