Tanzanian youth discussed the points of convergence between different cultures

The Center for the Promotion of International Youth Relations of RUDN, with the participation of the Russian House in Tanzania, held a round table in late October 2026 titled “Unity of Cultures: Building Bridges of Friendship in the Educational Environment.” The event took place at the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology and was attended by about 60 people — experts, representatives of youth organizations, and students from Russia and Tanzania.

They all initially participated as respondents in an interactive survey, trying to identify the main incentives and obstacles to developing friendships between students from different countries. Among the primary difficulties, they pointed to language barriers and closed social circles, while among the sources of friendship formation, they named trust, humor, and shared interests. In addition, the experts presented practices that can help bring together completely different people, such as the RUDN Russian Traditions Club or collaborative research.

Students from RUDN and Tanzania shared personal experiences of overcoming barriers, finding “bridges,” and the role of science in building intercultural connections.

Mpemba Jackson Michael (Tanzania), a student of the Philology Faculty of RUDN University, said that active communication with tutors, classmates, and participation in university events helped him overcome the language barrier.

Mwanyika Sylvia Osias (Tanzania), a student at the RUDN Medical Institute, paid attention to volunteer projects. According to her, such initiatives are not limited by countries and borders because doing good deeds is a universal language that needs no translation.

“Volunteering brings together people of different cultures and professions, helps build trust and friendship, and for a future medical professional it is especially valuable: caring for a person does not depend on their citizenship, language, or origin,” she said.

Nyamadzavo Thomas Last (Zimbabwe), a student of the RUDN Engineering Academy, president of the Zimbabwean student community, shared his experience in organizing events at RUDN. He noted that it is important both to learn from Russia’s experience and to share one’s own culture.

“Our community strives to attract students from different countries,” he said.

Kibakaya Isaac Emmanuel (Tanzania), a student of the RUDN Engineering Academy, president of the community of students from Tanzania, spoke about scientific initiatives and joint projects that students from different countries undertake together, in the same classroom, guided by a common goal.

“This allows us to erase boundaries and find not just like-minded people, but also new true friends,” he emphasized.

Ekaterina Glebova, director of the Center for the Promotion of International Youth Relations Development at RUDN, noted:

“Today’s experience has shown: friendship between nations begins with friendship between people, and this friendship starts with a single step that we take towards each other. And the main bridge between our countries is not diplomatic notes, but student classrooms — living spaces where genuine understanding is born.”

A Alexander Evstigneev, the head of the Rossotrudnichestvo Representative Office in Tanzania, stated that the best thing that can be done to strengthen humanitarian cooperation between the two countries is to give Tanzanian youth the opportunity to study at Russian universities.

“A foreign student who has completed their studies in Russia knows our country from the inside, which allows them to better understand multinational Russia, understand our psychology, understand how educational, production, and other processes are organized. This is the most important foundation for further cooperation in business, diplomacy, and science. And, of course, we become friends forever,” he said.