Viva o Brasil!: HSE University–St Petersburg Hosts Festival of Brazilian Culture

The event served as a showcase for the new educational direction 'Latin America in the Global World: Business, Politics and Communications,' which spans several educational programmes: Media Commmunications, the International Bachelor’s in Business and Economics and Political Science and World Politics.

The Media Communications programme joined the project in the framework of the new track 'Global Communications and International Journalism,' which is to be launched in 2026. Students will study the media systems of various regions—Europe, the Middle East, South, and South-East Asia. The English-taught track will pay special attention to the media of Latin America in relation to the cultural, political, and economic characteristics of the countries in this region.

The festival opened with a welcoming speech by Mikhail Tyurkin, academic supervisor of the Bachelor's in Media Communications. He talked about new educational tracks and highlighted the participation of colleagues from Latin America in developing the curriculum. 'It’s essential and useful to look at the world through the eyes of another culture. It broadens one's professional and personal horizons. Today, we are building an invisible bridge between Russia and Brazil, learning its language, culture, dance, and music,' underscored Mikhail Tyurkin.

The introduction to Brazil started with an interactive music lesson on Portuguese. Virginio Martins-Gouveia, lecturer at the Department of Foreign Languages at HSE University–St Petersburg, explained the specifics of the alphabet, focusing on its Brazilian variant. Attendees practised common words and phrases, then strengthened their knowledge by singing a group song about the popular Brazilian martial and dance art of capoeira. The song served as linguistic tool.

'I believe such cultural exchanges are extremely important. They reflect the deep friendship between Russia and Brazil. The festival once again proves why HSE University–St Petersburg is one of the best universities in Russia. To my mind, this is the only place where you can find such huge and well-organised events. I'd like to thank all the organisers and participants of this festival', said Virginio Martins-Gouveia.

The next step towards Brazil was a dance workshop held by Inaja Oliveira de Azevedo, lecturer at the Adelante Centre for Spanish Language and Culture, who shared the movements and dance styles of different parts of the country. The event guests moved to the streets of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Fortaleza, and other cities, diving into the atmosphere of a real Brazilian carnival.

'I am happy to be a part of this event. I love talking about my country and culture and seeing that Russians like it and actively join in the dances—it's wonderful!' shared Inaja Oliveira de Azevedo.

Brazil is widely associated with colourful carnivals and energetic dances, but a vital part of the country's cultural code is bittersweet bossa nova—a musical style which grew popular in the 20th century. Alexander Mikhailovsky, St Petersburg guitarist, gave a lecture on Brazilian jazz and its most notable representatives, including one of its most iconic figures, the Grammy winner João Gilberto. The lecture on the biography of the Brazilian artist and the genre history ended with a concert in which Alexander performed songs in the bossa nova style with the singer Julia Mikhaylovskaya. 'You have a Brazilian soul, I can feel it,' said Virginio Martins-Gouveia, lecturer at HSE University–St Petersburg, after the performance.

'We've managed to travel from St Petersburg to Brazil, from North to South. HSE University–St Petersburg is actively developing international ties and making new friends. In my opinion, cooperation with partners must go beyond agreements, forums, and official speeches. Of course, these are also an essential part of the communication with our international colleagues, but it is just as important to show cultural proximity and find common ground through dances, music, and other things. This symbiosis is a unique feature of HSE University–St Petersburg. We are committed to further strengthening our academic and cultural ties,' summed up Mikhail Tyurkin, academic supervisor of the Bachelor's in Media Communications.

In the late 18th century, Brazil started to export coffee beans. Due to high demand, it became the largest supplier in the world—a status it retains to this day. In recognition of this, the Viva o Brasil! festival finished with a tasting of Brazil's signature drink.