On the 2nd of October a Solemn Meeting, dedicated to the 50th Anniversary since beginning of training of foreign students, was held in the Assembly Hall of Volgograd State Medical University. More than 3500 graduates from 119 countries got a start in their lives in the Institute-Academy-University.

A welcoming speech was held by the Rector of Volgograd State Medical University, Full Member of the Russian Academy for Medical Sciences, honorary citizen of the hero-city of Volgograd, Vladimir I. Petrov: “The University is in the top five among medical institutions of our country. Since this April, after affiliation of the Pharmacy Academy of the city of Pyatigorsk, the University got the status of the biggest medical university in Russia. There are 14 790 students, training at the University.  Hundreds of our graduates are employed around the world. The University is proud of its graduates. Due to their work, different nationalities become closer together, familiarizing themselves with the history and culture of Russia. For the last 50 years so much has happened. Our Alma Mater is always glad to see its graduates.”

Among the guests were there leaders of the government authorities, representatives of the Administration and the Ministries of the city. All of them held welcoming addresses in regard of Jubilee.

The graduates of last 50 years came from the different countries to Volgograd to congratulate their Alma Mater. An unifying effect has that they all made their first steps in Medicine here, in Volgograd. The first foreign graduates of Institute, Dr. Leonore Kleeberg and Dr. Bernhard Baumgarten came also to Volgograd to take part in the solemn events.

The first point of the solemn programme was the flower-laying Ceremony near “the monument to all the doctors of Tsarytsyn-Stalingrad-Volgograd”. The next step of the programme was the visit to the Museum of History of the University, where the guests learned a lot about different periods of developing of the Medical Institute. A photo exhibition, dedicated to the history of training of foreign citizens at our Institute-Academy-University was a more pleasant surprise for the guests. The relations between different nations and generations became the main theme of the exhibition.

In regard of the Anniversary the warmest greetings were expressed to the address of the Rector and University by the Ministry of Public Health of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Embassy of Russian to Malaysia, Embassy of India to Russia, Embassy of the Republic of Kenya to Russia, Embassy of Malaysia to Russia, the Government of the state of Terengganu, Secretary General of Malaysian Public Services Commission, Foundation of MARA, Universiti Teknologi MARA, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, University of Strasbourg, graduates from the Czech Republic, Arab region, Africa, South-East Asia and Germany.

Foreign Office, VSMU