St Petersburg University opens Turkish Cabinet

The event was attended by Mr Özgün Talu, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in St Petersburg; Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Andrey Vlasenko, Director General of the Rönesans Construction company, as well as academics and students of St Petersburg University.

The event was opened by Professor Nikolay Kropachev, Rector of St Petersburg University, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Professor Kropachev stressed that the importance of cooperation between the University and the Consulate General of the Republic of Turkey in St Petersburg, which began over 200 years ago, can hardly be overestimated. ‘The study of Turkic philology began at St Petersburg University as early as in 1822. Today, the Department of Turkic Philology at the Faculty of Asian and African Studies of St Petersburg University is a recognised centre of Turkic studies and training of professional Turkologists in Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States, and Europe,’ said Nikolay Kropachev. ‘The demand for this is clearly demonstrated by the number of academic programmes with a Turkish component, implemented at St Petersburg University. Currently, in addition to academic programmes specialised in Oriental studies, there are 45 programmes with the Turkish component in other fields of knowledge, including: international relations; history; the arts; and political science.’

In 2019, the Centre for Contemporary Turkish Studies and Russia- Turkey Relations was opened at St Petersburg University by the order of Rector Nikolay Kropachev. Since then, close cooperation with Turkish partners has been developing within the framework of the Centre’s activities.

Today, St Petersburg University gives a special focus on the study of the national language, history, culture, economy, politics and social structure of the Republic of Turkey. The University’s academic exchange programmes contribute to the strengthening of social and academic ties between our countries. Currently, 67 citizens of the Republic of Turkey are enrolled in degree and non-degree programmes at St Petersburg University. There have already been 50 applications submitted to participate in the competitive selection for admissions for the 2024/2025 academic year. The St Petersburg University’s online course ‘Turkish for Beginners’, posted on the national Open Education platform is also very popular with the learners, with almost 40,000 people having completed the course.

On the same day, the Rector of St Petersburg University met with the Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in St Petersburg to discuss the possibility of: opening a new academic programme ‘Organisation of Tourist Activities (with Advanced Study of the Turkish Language)’ and involving Turkish experts in the councils of the University’s academic programmes with the Turkish component.

Mr Özgün Talu, Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in St Petersburg, congratulated St Petersburg University on its 300^th anniversary and said that the creation of the thematic study room is a gift to St Petersburg University from the Turkish partners. The diplomat noted that the Turkish language has been studied and taught at St Petersburg University since1822. Hence, it is safe to say that there have been ties between Turkey and the University for more than 200 years of its three-century history.

‘At the beginning of the 19^th century, relations between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire grew closer and stronger. During that period, the so-called Turkish corners began to appear in private homes in St Petersburg, which was then the Russian capital. Many collections of Turkish books, manuscripts, clothes, accessories, carpets and weapons originated then,’ Mr Özgün Talu said. ‘The Turkish Cabinet, which we are opening today, can be seen as a continuation of that tradition. This study room has been designed in such a way so as to provide students with the opportunity not only to study using contemporary educational equipment, but also to learn about Turkish culture.’

In 2022, with the support of the Rönesans Construction Company, St Petersburg University established a scholarship in the name of Mehmet Ferhan Yorulmaz, former Consul General of the Republic of Turkey in St Petersburg. Also, in 2022, another project was launched at St Petersburg University – the Turkish Language Speaking Club. Its primary objective is to provide the University students and staff with the opportunity to learn the culture of contemporary Türkiye.

According to Andrey Vlasenko, Director General of the Rönesans Construction company, for a company that specialises in the construction of such unique and technically complex facilities as the Lakhta Centre or large processing plants, the creation of the Turkish Cabinet was equally as significant and worthy cause. It was not just a basic renovation, but a project to create a friendly and open environment for learning and intercultural dialogue.

Currently, there are Thai, Japanese, Chinese and Korean Cabinets, as well as other thematic classrooms at St Petersburg University.

‘It is difficult to imagine a more significant place in St Petersburg, which thanks to St Petersburg University’s administration was provided for the realisation of this project,’ said Andrey Vlasenko. ‘It was here that the first diplomatic missions of the Ottoman Empire were established during the times of Empresses Anna of Russia and Elizabeth of Russia. Within a five-minute walk from here, on the site where the Saint Petersburg Academy of Arts is now located, was the palace of Prince Alexey Dolgorukov. In 1755, the building was converted for the accommodation of Turkish diplomats. For us, this project is both a historical and geographical bridge, built to foster intercultural dialogue, which will no doubt take place within the walls of the Turkish Cabinet.’

The cooperation between the Rönesans Construction Holding and St Petersburg University began in 1999 with the reconstruction of the building of the first student canteen of St Petersburg Imperial University, located on Academician Sakharov Square. As part of that project, the architects managed to find drawings of the lost balcony and recreated it on the historic façade. In 2006, the company carried out a restoration of the Yakovlevs’ Mansion at Volkhovsky Lane. At present, the premises are used by the Graduate School of Management at St Petersburg University. Andrey Vlasenko handed over to Rector Nikolay Kropachev a historical element of that building – an old roofing crutch found during the renovation, and an illustrated album dedicated to the work of the Master Architect of the Ottoman Empire Mimar Sinan.

During the opening ceremony, Rector Nikolay Kropachev presented Mr Özgün Talu and Andrey Vlasenko with certificates of appreciation and paintings of the Kelch Mansion, where the so-called House of Lawyers of St Petersburg University is currently located.

The event was also attended by: Alexey Rodionov, Senior Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Asian and African Studies at St Petersburg University; Nikolai Telitsin, Head of the Department of Turkic Philology at St Petersburg University; Abdulla Daudov, Director of the Institute of History at St Petersburg University; Mikhail Koryshev, Dean of the Faculty of Philology at St Petersburg University;  Aleksandr Kurochkin, Dean of the Faculty of Political Science; and Ivan Uralov, Senior Deputy Dean at the Faculty of Arts at St Petersburg University.

During the event, students-Turcologists recited the poem ‘I listen to İstanbul’, written by a prominent Turkish poet and translator of the 20^th century Orhan Veli Kanık, and performed the song Gençlik marşı.