Opening the celebration Svetlana Kochetova, Rector of the Institute, noted that many excellent professionals had been trained there for seven decades and now they adequately represent the institution, the city and Donbass in the post-Soviet space.

Ivan Prikhodko, the Head of Gorlovka city administration, emphasized the most important role of GIFL in education of the younger generation and presented Svetlana Kochetova with a II-degree breast medal named after Peter N. Gorlov for many years of fruitful work, scientific achievements and devotion to the city of Gorlovka. Commendations from the DPR government were also awarded to the Deans of Faculties Natalia Zhikhareva, Natalia Belokon-Pozharitskaya, Irina Andreeva and Natalia Evsyukova, the Head of the Educational and Scientific Centre of Pre-higher-education Training, Retraining and Distance Learning. Galina Vasilyeva, the Vice-rector for scientific and pedagogical work, received the diploma of the Head of the Donetsk People’s Republic. In addition, a number of employees of the Institute were awarded certificates of appreciations from Gorlovka city administration.

Mitrofan, Metropolitan of Gorlovka and Slavyansk, congratulated the higher-education teaching personnel, students and staff of the educational institution, wishing further prosperity and well-being to the Institute. Good wishes were also heard from Tatiana Denisova, the Head of the Department of Higher Education of the Ministry of Education and Science of the DPR; Lyubov Volkova, the Head of a Republican Service for Control and Supervision in the Sphere of Education and Science; Dmitry Kovyrshin, Deputy Minister of Youth, Sports and Tourism; Alexander Bykadorov, the National Council Deputy; Sergei Goloshchapov, the Head of Makeevka city administration; Asia Gorshkova, the Chairman of the Trade Union of Education and Science of the DPR, and university rectors.

Vivid emotions of those gathered in the hall were caused by a video greeting from Alexander Volkov, the Soviet and Russian cosmonaut, Hero of the USSR and Honorary Citizen of Gorlovka.

There were also video greetings from residents of the city, colleagues from the Russian Federation and Serbia, Institute graduates living in different parts of the world.

Guests from the Russian Federation joined in the numerous congratulations. The delegation included Vsevolod Zheleznov, the Director of CIS programs of Russkii Mir Foundation; Oleg Ivanov, the Board Member of Smolensk Organization of Combat Operation Veterans of the Russian Federation; Vitaly Sheremetiev, the Chairman of the Central Board of the All-Russian Public Organization Russian Union of Afghanistan Veterans “Nasledie”; Aleksei Terletsky, the Head of the Smolensk office of the All-Russian Public Organization Russian Union of Afghanistan Veterans and Elena Evseeva, the Executive Manager of the Russian Center.

The greeting telegrams from Sergey Bogdanov, the Rector of the Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia and Alexander Gorbunov, the Rector of Pyatigorsk State University were also read out aloud.

There were warm congratulations from Alexander Golodov, Professor of the Germanic Languages and Teaching Methods Department of Ryazan State University named for S. Yesenin, and Nina Litvinova, Professor of the Management and Law department of the Saint Petersburg State University of Industrial Technologies and Design, President of the Russian NGO House of Europe in St. Petersburg.

On this day, the anthem of Gorlovka Institute for Foreign Languages sounded for the first time in the history of the Institute. The celebration was attended by the author of the anthem words – Aleksei Ivakhnenko, graduate of GIFL, the Deputy Head of Gorlovka city administration, and the author of music – composer Sergei Kolonenkov.

During the event Svetlana Kochetova read out the order on approval of the anthem, the memorable sign, the coat of arms and the guest book of Gorlovka Institute for Foreign Languages. The Rector also announced the long-awaited opening of the GIFL Cultural and Educational Center.

On behalf of the students and in honor of the anniversary the Student Council presented the Rector of the Institute with a “time capsule” – a message to the future generation of students of Gorlovka Institute for Foreign Languages.

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