Pavel Shvetsov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo delivers his speech at the Russian Language Conference.
Russian Ambassador to Egypt Georgiy Borisenko and Pavel Shvetsov, deputy head of the Russian Federal Agency for International Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo), inaugurated the conference, joined by Vadim Zaychikov, director of Russian Cultural Centres in Egypt.
The event brought together 87 teachers from 16 African countries, according to organizers.
Director of Russian Cultural Centres Vadim Zaychikov, Professor Mohamed Nasr El-Gebaly, and representatives of African countries.
The conference, held from 9–11 December and organized by Russia’s federal agency for international cooperation in partnership with Moscow State Linguistic University, aims to expand educational collaboration and reinforce Russian-language programmes across Africa as interest grows among universities and training institutions.
Borisenko noted that African countries’ growing interest in Russian studies is particularly notable “amid the current difficult geopolitical situation,” adding that learning Russian provides access to “long-standing cultural, scientific and cooperative traditions” between Russia and African nations.
Shvetsov described the Cairo meeting as part of a broader effort to promote the Russian language internationally.
He highlighted that “Russian Language Weeks” had been held earlier this year in Turkey and Vietnam, involving more than 180 teachers from Europe and Asia, while the Cairo conference focuses on national approaches to teaching Russian to non-native speakers across Africa.
Egypt’s Ministry of Higher Education also emphasized the expanding role of Russian-language programmes in African educational systems.
Professor Saleh Hashem, an adviser to the minister, said Russian has become “a language that unites millions” and creates opportunities for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and cultural cooperation in the region.
Pavel Shvetsov, Deputy Head of Rossotrudnichestvo and Russian ambassador to Egypt Georgiy Borisenko.
Following the opening session, Irina Shukina of Moscow State Linguistic University and Mohamed Nasr El-Gebaly of MUST University and Sadat Academy led a panel on the history and prospects of Russian-language instruction in Egypt, discussing shifts in academic demand and institutional partnerships.
The conference’s professional training programme included an interactive lecture on Russian language and literature in modern media, as well as discussions on current linguistic trends shaping classroom teaching.
As part of the advanced professional training programme, an interactive lecture was held on the Russian language and literature in the modern media space, as well as the dynamics of linguistic processes.
The conference also included a discussion of current issues in teaching Russian to non-native speakers, attended by Russian-language experts from Algeria, Egypt, Congo, Tanzania, and Ethiopia.
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