On May 17, 2023, as part of the work of the International Friendship Club of the Tver State Medical University with the support of Vice-Rector for International Affairs R.N. Chirkov, vice-rector for educational work and youth policy S.A. Sokolov, Department for Work with Foreign Students, the Department of Russian Language organized a bus tour to the City of Military Glory Rzhev and the ancient Russian city of Staritsa for members of the International Friendship Club, who actively participate in the social and cultural life of our university. 45 foreign students took part in the event, the purpose of which is to foster tolerance in interethnic relations, respect for the history and culture of the country of the language being studied - Russia. The tour was conducted by an experienced guide - a military historian and archaeologist.

During the event, the students got acquainted with the significant places across the Tver land, learned a lot of interesting and important facts related to the history and culture of Russia. First, the students went to the City of Military Glory Rzhev, where, after a sightseeing tour, they visited the Museum of Local Lore, the unique Rzhev Battle diorama, and the only burial place of Soviet and German soldiers in the Tver region – “the Park of Peace”. During the tour in the Victory Museum, the children heard a story about one of the most terrible pages of the Great Patriotic War, visited a multimedia exposition, where they looked at documentary photographs, got acquainted with front-line letters and memories of soldiers participating in the battles. An indelible impression on the students was made by the Memorial Complex in memory of all the soldiers of the Great Patriotic War, erected on the site of bloody battles near Rzhev in 1942-1943.

A tour of Staritsa introduced foreign students not only to its history, which they heard during a sightseeing tour of this beautiful city on the observation deck, but also to ancient Russian architecture. The central event was a visit to the Dormition Monastery, which is a whole complex of buildings dating back to the 16th century. The beautiful view that opens from the walls of the monastery on the banks of the Volga with ancient buildings located on them did not leave anyone indifferent.

A rich program excited great interest and indelible impressions among all participants. The students expressed their desire to continue to get acquainted with the history and culture of Russia. Here is how the student of the 117th group Abduvaliev Abdukhakor commented on the trip: “Thanks to the organizers of today's tour. Everything was top notch. We really liked Rzhev and Staritsa. We learned a lot and did not notice how time passed. We would like to participate in such excursions in the future.” Separately, the students noted the guide’s work, saying that he not only spoke interestingly and answered all the questions asked, but also allowed him to plunge into the atmosphere of the war years. These reviews have become the best gratitude for the organizers of the tour.