On the 6th of September opening ceremony of SCOLAR Network Saint Petersburg hub was held at The Saint Petersburg University of Economics (UNECON).
The ceremony was attended by Alexander Beda, a representative of the SCO Business Council Secretariat in St. Petersburg, Victoria Khu, co-founder and CEO of SCOLAR, as well as representatives of SCOLAR Nizhny Novgorod Hub, based at the Nizhny Novgorod State Linguistic University named after N.A. Dobrolyubov. Hubs from Beijing, Shanghai, Tashkent, and Kathmandu joined the opening ceremony online. Young leaders were welcomed by the Vice-Rector for International Relations Dmitry Vasilenko and Director of the Center for the Study of China and the Asia-Pacific Countries Tatiana Urzhumtseva.
The ceremony was also attended by guests from Nizhny Novgorod, including Artur Varuzhanovich Shtoyan, Director of the Department of Social Communications and Youth Policy of the Nizhny Novgorod City Administration; Tatyana Aleksandrovna Skorobogatova, Deputy of the City Duma of Nizhny Novgorod and Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on Local Self-Government; Svetlana Anatolyevna Kolobova, Dean of the Higher School of International Relations and World Politics; and Alina Garayeva, curator of the SCOLAR Nizhny Novgorod Hub. They extended congratulations to the university and SCOLAR on the opening of a hub in St. Petersburg.
Alexander Beda congratulated those present on the opening of the new hub, emphasized the importance of working with young people, and expressed his support for projects focused on the education.
Dmitry Vasilenko, Vice-Rector for International Relations at St. Petersburg State University, greeted the audience and expressed his enthusiasm for the SCOLAR Network. “This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals for years to come, to meet colleagues from other countries, forge new connections, and share knowledge,” he said.
In her welcoming speech, Victoria Khu congratulated the team and expressed gratitude to Saint Petersburg University of Economics for their support. She also thanked the SCO Business Council Secretariat and the guests from Nizhny Novgorod who were present in person. Victoria highlighted that young people today communicate without borders and connect with like-minded individuals from all over the region through SCOLAR. She described the projects SCOLARs create using three words: think, unite, and act.
Tatiana Urzhumtseva, Director of the Center for the Study of China and Asia-Pacific Countries, remarked that this event will be a new milestone in the history of international cooperation, deepening cooperation and increasing confidence among youth platform participants.
Saint Petersburg University of Economics student and hub curator, Gleb Potapov, moderated the event and delivered the following quote: “There’s a Chinese proverb that says, ‘If you didn’t fly, then it’s okay, but if you flew, then fly higher.’ Today, we take flight on a new adventure and most importantly, a shared journey!”