The Principal of the Universitat de València, Mª Vicenta Mestre, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Russian Federation in Spain, Yuri P. Korchagin, the executive director of the Russkiy Mir Foundation, Vladimir Kochin, and the delegate of the Consell for the European Union and External Relations, Joan Calabuig, have presided the inauguration of the Russian Centre. They were accompanied by a group of students who welcomed everyone in Russian, Valencian and Spanish.

The Principal Mª Vicenta Mestre has claimed that ‘we are not only inaugurating an educational centre, we are also inaugurating a bridge that will allow us to strengthen the ties and relationship between the two countries and, in our case, with Russian institutions and universities’. ‘Quality teaching, research, knowledge transfer and commitment to culture are some of the missions we have as a public university, which will surely be strengthen thanks to the Russian Centre of the Universitat’ said the Principal.

On his behalf, the Ambassador of the Russian Federation Yuri P. Korchagin has thanked the support of the Universitat and the Russkiy Mir Foundation, who made the inauguration of the Russian Centre possible. The Ambassador, who has reminded everyone Spain is a highly appreciated country among the Russians, has pointed out ‘it is a honor to have a Russian nucleus in Valencia, not only for the students of the language, but also to understand the Russian soul, in order to strengthen ties between the two countries.’

Vladimir Kochin, from the Russkiy Mir Foundation, has declared ‘it is a honor to inaugurate the Russian Centre at the Universitat, on of the most ancient and prestigious universities in Europe that, from now on, has become a prioritary partner for us.’ ‘For Spain, this inauguration is a big window to our country to understand much better the big stranger Russia is. Two countries with a huge historical and cultural legacy that will enrich each other mutually’, said Kochin.

Other authorities that came to the the inauguration are the Vice-Principal for Internationalisation and Cooperation, Carles Padilla; the Vice-Principal for Employment and Training Services; the General Secretary, Mª Elena Olmos; the General Manager, Juan Vicente Climent; the Student Officer Mercedes Elizalde; the dean of the Faculty of Philology, Translation and Communication, Amparo Ricós; the dean of the Faculty of Geography and History, Josep Montesinos; the dean of Law, Javier Palao; the Honorary Consul of the Russian Federation, Ramón Congost; the president of the Club Encuentro Manuel Broseta, Amparo Matíes and the director of INTRAS, Francisco Alonso.

The Russian Centre, the second in a Spanish University after the University of Granada, is placed at the Tarongers Campus, in the Institutes of the Serpis Street. The centre aims at revitalising the relationship between the two countries as well as developing the Slavic studies with a wide educative offer that will include classes for all levels, double titles and mobility programmes. Besides, there is a complete library, computer resources and a huge number of networks for research.

Thus, the Russian Centre will disseminate and popularise the Russian language, literature and arts with a wide range of educative programmes of Russian culture. It will also serve as a tie between the Russian and the Valencian society to develop relationships and mutual knowledge.

The ‘Russkiy Mir Foundation’ is a public institution of the Russian Federation the purpose of which is to popularise the wealth of the Russian language and the culture of its people. This way, with the creation of the Russian Centre, the Universitat de València will have a valuable tool to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the educational, cultural and scientific sphere.