Moscow: The Arabic language Olympiad among schoolchildren in grades 7-10 was held in the Russian capital for the first time.
According to Emirates News Agency, more than 100 participants took part in the event, with their work evaluated by experts from Morocco, simultaneous interpreters, and university and school teachers. The press service of the capital's Department of Education and Science reported that three students emerged as winners.
The department highlighted a significant increase in the interest in Arabic among Moscow schoolchildren over the past three years. With this growing interest, Arabic will be included in the Moscow Olympiad of schoolchildren's programme next academic year. Additionally, free courses will be launched at the Centre of Pedagogical Excellence to prepare the national team.
The Olympiad was conducted in two stages: remote and in-person. During the initial stage, pupils tackled tasks related to listening, reading, vocabulary, grammar, and country studies. In the final stage, participants delivered speeches about their experiences in Arab countries.
One of the winners, Alena Monaenkova, who studies Arabic as a second foreign language, expressed her enthusiasm for the language. "I have a great craving for knowledge in this direction, so everything comes easily. [...] In the future, I would like to connect my career with Arabic," she shared.
The Department of Education and Science also noted that, apart from the Olympiad, Moscow offers various circles where students can learn about the Arabic language, calligraphy, geography, and culture of Arab countries.