May 26, 2021: The first video-conference between Taganrog Vocational Technical School of Marine Engineering and "Forum Russische Kultur Gütersloh" from the German city of Gütersloh (North Rhine-Westphalia) was held on May 25, 2021 within the framework of the mutual educational and cultural cooperation between Taganrog and Gütersloh.
The history of Taganrog's cooperation with this NGO goes back to early meetings in
2009 and
2012. In April 2014, the Taganrog Municipal Chamber Orchestra directed by Alexander Gurevich was invited by the Forum Russische Kultur Gütersloh and gave
concerts in Bielefeld-Senne, Steinhagen, Gütersloh and Bonn. In 2019 a delegation from Gütersloh
presented an old Italian accordion to Taganrog Municipal Chamber Orchestra directed by Alexander Gurevich.
Among the participants were technical school's students interested in German culture and international cooperation. The event was organized by Taganrog Foreign Relations Office's Chief Specialist Dmitry Kulichev, who has translated the online meeting and geography teacher Gennady Shmidko. The vice-principal of the institution Galina Krivovid was also present at the event and greeted the German counterpart.
Russian students discussed with Mrs. Burmann different topics ranging from Russian and German literature (the works of
Anton Chekhov, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Thomas Mann, Johann Wolfgang Goethe) to Russian cuisine, environment protection issues, and celebration of the Victory Day in Germany. Then Mrs. Burmann told about her home town of Paderborn, its historical and cultural significance.
Both sides look forward to continue their dialogue and exchanges.