Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The award ceremony for the 20 winners of the international competition "Russian Language in the CIS – New Horizons" for Russian language teachers from five CIS countries took place in St. Petersburg, according to the CIS Executive Committee’s press service.

A total of 166 Russian language and literature teachers from Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan participated in the competition. After two rounds of selection, 20 Russian language experts advanced to the finals, with the grand prize being a trip to St. Petersburg. From August 19 to 23, the winners will enjoy a rich cultural and sightseeing program, as well as master classes from leading Russian experts in teaching Russian as a foreign language.

The award ceremony was held at the Tauride Palace. The educators shared their experiences and the specifics of teaching Russian in schools in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. They noted that the Russian language remains popular and in demand in the neighboring countries.

The Russian State Pedagogical University has been organizing the "Russian Language in the CIS – New Horizons" competition since 2016. Over five years, more than 1,200 foreign teachers who teach in Russian have participated in the competition. The first competition was held in Tajikistan, followed by Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan, with last year’s event taking place in Azerbaijan. In 2024, the competition for the first time brought together participants from five countries.

The project is implemented with the support of Rossotrudnichestvo, the Presidential Grants Foundation, and the International Association of Teachers of Russian Language and Literature (MAPRYAL).