On November 21-23, the VI "Umouna" Amateur Theater Festival was held in Polotsk. The international cultural event featured international students from the People's Republic of China studying at Euphrosyne Polotskaya State University of Polotsk.
VI "Umouna" Amateur Theater Festival
As part of the "Theatre Without Borders" project, the festival introduced an experimental recitation "I Love You, China!" for the first time. Staging the performance on the stage of the Polotsk Palace of Culture during the festival days was an entirely new step for the Chinese students of the university. Until this moment, the students had no experience of performing on stage or participating in creative projects.
The creative team included a student from the preparatory department, as well as students from the faculties of humanities and mechanics and technology: Ning Xiaoxiao, Zhang Jiaming, Guo Liuzhi, Xiong Jishan, Wu Huiying, Liang Pingyuan, and Sun Fengshuo. For two weeks, the participants worked on preparing video materials and rehearsing, including online sessions with theater director Liu Bin from Mudanjiang.
Ning Xiaoxiao, Zhang Jiaming, Guo Liuzhi, Xiong Jishan, Wu Huiying, Liang Pingyuan, and Sun Fengshuo.
The international students dedicated their creative production to their homeland, China. Through artistic expression and stage performances, the participants managed to convey the multifaceted nature of their country: its unique nature, rich culture, and unity of the people, as well as the beauty of its cities and traditions that they hold in their hearts while being far from home. In their production, the students expressed not only love for their native land but also a desire to build a future together with it.
Preparing for the festival provided the students with an opportunity to unlock their creative potential, strengthen interdisciplinary connections, and make new friends. Working together on the project united them into a close-knit team, giving them vivid emotions and valuable experience in bringing a meaningful theme to life on stage.
International students of Polotsk University
The day before the festival, a premiere screening of the students' experimental production was held, with its video recording being shown as part of a theatrical teleconference in the Chinese Hall of the Polotsk Collegium. The videoconference was attended by representatives from the International Relations Department of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Mudanjiang City, the Polotsk District Executive Committee, Euphrosyne Polotskaya State University of Polotsk, as well as experts from the "Umouna" Amateur Theater Festival.
Theatrical teleconference
After watching the recording, the experts discussed the production. The participation of the Chinese students in the "Umouna" Amateur Theater Festival generated significant interest from the organizers, audience, and other participants alike. Director Liu Bin shared his professional opinion, and the organizers asked the students questions. The students shared their impressions and answered all questions in detail. The teleconference participants agreed that the experimental project had been successfully implemented, marking the beginning of a new creative collaboration.
Theatrical teleconference
Ning Xiaoxiao: "This is my first time participating in a creative festival like this. It is a great honor for me and a completely new experience".
Wu Huiying: "This was much more than just a performance for me. It felt more like a bold personal breakthrough and an act of cultural expression. Reciting 'I Love You, China' gave me the chance, while being thousands of kilometers from home, to share my heritage with friends from around the world in my native language".
Sun Fengshuo: "Taking part in this arts festival revealed a whole new world to me. Each of us performing the recitation had the chance to share our country's poetry in our mother tongue. I truly believe that this kind of artistic exchange reaches people's hearts more profoundly than any other form of communication".
The creative association of international students from China was presented with a festival diploma statuette for their participation in the "Umouna" festival. In the evening, the students attended the festival opening ceremony, watched a performance by a youth theater from the Republic of Belarus, and saw the dance production “Shinel”.
International students of Polotsk University
The "Umouna" festival showcased the richness and diversity of different cultures, providing an opportunity for participants from various countries to explore new forms of theatrical art and strengthen international ties.
