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On Russian Flag Day, flag-raising ceremony took place on the University’s square.

The whole Russia celebrates the Flag Day: people hang out the flags on buildings, volunteers hand out tricolour ribbons that people pin to their clothes. In many towns, giant Russian flags are carries across central squares and along big avenues.

Belgorod National Research University has already established a tradition to raise the symbol of the state on this day. This time the representatives of the Rector’s Office, teachers, staff members and students took part in the flag-raising ceremony.

In her word, Svetlana Ostrikova, Vice-Rector for Cultural and ��è��Ƶal Affairs, reminded the participants how symbolic and time-honoured the day was. Adopted by Peter the Great at the period of zenith of the Russian Empire, and re-adopted much later, the flag symbolizes the whole country: the freedom, faith, honesty, bravery, and generosity of its people.

“Our country has always aspired towards peace, good-neighbourly relations, and friendship of peoples. And it’s very important for every one of us to realize the dignity of our country, and to stand for its independence and freedom. Aspiration for peace, kindness and international friendship are of the most importance,”said Svetlana Ostrikova.

The event was continued by distribution of certificates of appreciation to freshmen’s labour teams. The winners were teams of the Department of Information Technologies and Applied Mathematics and the Department of History and Philology. The second place diplomas were given to the teams of the Institute of Economics and the Department of Mining and Natural Resource Management, and the teams of the Institute of Law and the Department of General Medicine and Pediatrics got the third place diplomas.

A the ceremony three flags were raised: the Russian national tricolour flag, the flag of the Belgorod region, and the BelSU official flag. National flag was raised by First Vice-Rector Tatiana Balabanova, flag of the region – by PetrKonyaev, Adviser Rector, and the BelSU flag – by Institute of Law’s freshmen, Alexander Davydov.

The release of national flag-coloured balloons into the air marked the end of the ceremony.