Poems by Oriental authors about love were presented by students of 16 St. Petersburg universities from 22 countries: Russia, Egypt, China, Yemen, Indonesia, Vietnam, Iraq, Nigeria, etc.

The Readings were hosted by Mr. Sergey Novozhilov, People’s Artist of Russia, and Ms. Svetlana Sokolova, Deputy Dean of the SPbUHSS Faculty of Arts.

The presentations of the participants were evaluated by the representative jury which consisted of: Mr. Nikolay Burov and Mr. Roman Gromadsky, People’s Artists of Russia; Mr. Gadis Gajiev, the judge of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation; Mr. Alexander Melikhov, famous Russian writer; Ms. Renata Abdulina and Mr. Andrey Maksimov, St. Petersburg Administration Committees Chairs; Consuls General of Japan, China and Kazakhstan; Honorary Consuls of Pakistan and Tajikistan; Ms. Irina Popova, Director of the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Rectors of the leading St. Petersburg universities.

Gran Prix: Ms. Susanna Aramian (Armenia), Russian Customs Academy, St. Petersburg branch.

1^st place: Mr. Al-Saidi Deyaa Khaled Nasser (Yemen), National Mineral Recourses University (Mining University).

2^nd place shared: Mr. Anthony Oluvagbemiga Babajidee (Nigeria), St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University “LETI”, and Ms. Elizaveta Yuhneva (Russia), St. Petersburg StateUniversity.

3^rd place shared: Mr. Adil Bukeikanov, Mr. Meruert Urbisenova, Mr. Abay Urazalin (Kazakhstan), Russian Customs Academy, St. Petersburg branch; Mr. Mohamed Amin Shakhram, Mr. Vais Murad Vizar Mukhtar (Iraqi Kurdistan), National Mineral Recourses University (Mining University); Mr. Dame Quynh Anh (Vietnam), St. Petersburg State Electrotechnical University “LETI”; Ms. Evelina Bitieva (Russia), St. Petersburg University of the Humanities and Social Sciences.

Special jury prize was given to the team of Sergey Kirov Military Medical Academy.

Oriental Poetry Reading is a response of the St. Petersburg youth to ethnic conflicts, which swamped Europe.

The purpose of this poetic competition, established 10 years ago according to the initiative of Mr. Daniil Granin, famous Russian writer, SPbUHSS Honorary Doctor by Rectors Council, St. Petersburg Intelligentsia Congress and SPbUHSS, is to educate cross-cultural mutual understanding and to strengthen friendship between nations by the language of poetry.

As organizers think, there is no more effective tool than art to strengthen the friendship between nations, and shortcut to understanding, than a conversation in poetry language which demonstrates that the concept of good, love and beauty in the East and West are common in any language.