The Russian Language and Culture Festival concluded at Nairobi’s Sarit Expo Centre on Sunday after three days of activities showcasing the country’s language, traditions, education and cultural heritage.
Held from October 9 to 11, the festival brought together language lessons, cultural workshops, interactive lectures, film screenings and presentations on opportunities for Kenyans to study in Russia.
The event was organised by the Centre for Open Education under Tomsk State Pedagogical University and the My History Foundation, with support from Russia’s Ministry of Education.
Speaking during the opening ceremony on Friday, the Russian ambassador to Kenya, Mr Vsevolod Tkachenko, said the festival offered an opportunity for participants to learn about the country beyond the images commonly portrayed in the media.
“I believe that events like this are a wonderful opportunity not simply to learn something new about another country, but to feel and understand it better through its people, its history and its cultural heritage,” he said.
The programme featured practical and interactive activities, including a workshop on creating the kokoshnik, a traditional Russian headdress, Russian folk games and a mini-lesson on the Russian language.
Participants also attended lectures exploring Russian cities, nature and traditions, including sessions on Moscow, Russian banknotes and traditional wooden house window frames.
The festival further provided information on opportunities to pursue higher education in Russia, with online presentations on study programmes held on Friday and Saturday.
The ambassador said education remained an important part of relations between Kenya and Russia, noting that 70 young Kenyans were already in Russia or were expected to travel there in 2026 to pursue their studies.
“Education has always been an important part of relations between Russia and Kenya. Over many decades, Kenyan students have studied at Russian universities, and we remain interested in expanding these educational opportunities,” he said.
The programme also included a Russian film screening and discussion on Sunday, alongside a workshop on Russian-style dancing and the final round of the Russian Language Olympiad.
The festival concluded with the announcement of the olympiad results and winners.
According to the ambassador, the Embassy hoped that the event would encourage more Kenyans to visit Russia for education, tourism and professional opportunities, while fostering a deeper understanding of the country and its people.
“Perhaps some of you who are taking part in the festival today will one day visit Russia yourselves – as students, tourists, professionals or simply as friends,” he said. “I am sure that when you do, you will find many things that may surprise you, and you will discover that the real Russia is much more hospitable, warm and beautiful than it is sometimes shown in the media.”
