TUFS Student Wins Prize in Russian Contest

June 16, 2017

On Sunday 11 ^th June 2017, TUFS student Sambe Ayaka (School of Language and Culture Studies Russian language third year) was awarded second place at the 46 ^th National Russian Contest (sponsored by the Japan-Eurasia Society) in the Group B (general) category for her speech entitled 'The Fate of the World is in Our Hands'. In addition, Sambe earned the special prize marking the 60 ^th anniversary of the Japan-Eurasia Society's establishment.

Comments on the Prize from Sambe

As well as feeling extremely happy to have gained this result in the 46 ^th National Russian Contest, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my teachers and to everyone who has supported me.

My speech was inspired by the words of Nobel Prize winning author Svetlana Alexievich, who gave a lecture at this university last year. Alexievich experienced the Chernobyl disaster and has also travelled to Fukushima, and it seems that through that trip she has once again deepened her thoughts on humankind, which has become used to its comfortable way of living and which cannot let go of nuclear power. Can humanity really risk the danger of sacrificing nature and future generations? The answer, as Alexievich says, is "nyet (no)". Many great Russian writers and poets have created works praising nature. For the sake of the beauty of nature, and for the sake protecting the earth, I think that humankind should find the courage to refuse nuclear power.

From here on, while remembering the second place prize and special prize that I have received, I hope to continue not only with my language study but also with a wide-ranging education.