【FILA】1st Place in National Russian Contest

This summer, at the 53rd National Russian Language Contest, third-year student Wakana Miyauchi from the Faculty of International Liberal Arts achieved first place in the Beginner Division.
The contest required participants to memorize and deliver a speech of up to three minutes. Ms. Miyauchi’s presentation, titled “Beautiful Russia,” expressed her dream of experiencing Russian culture firsthand—admiring magnificent church architecture and graceful ballet performances—and her hope to nurture friendships while spending peaceful moments in Russia’s rich natural landscapes.
Reflecting on her motivation for joining the competition, Ms. Miyauchi shared:

“I have always longed to visit Sakhalin, my grandfather’s birthplace. After enrolling at Soka University, I learned of its deep historical ties with the Soviet Union and Russia. I was inspired by the founder’s humanistic spirit and by the senior students who have carried on that legacy. Although I was also focusing on my English studies and job-hunting, I decided to take on this challenge. Russia is home to many who appreciate traditional culture and cherish nature. While I am fascinated by church architecture and ballet, I also wanted to express my desire to spend serene time with friends in Russia’s beautiful natural surroundings.”

Comment from Wakana Miyauchi

I was relieved to achieve a good result and am filled with gratitude toward everyone who supported me. To be honest, I was fully focused on memorizing my speech, so in terms of Russian language skills, I consider myself still a beginner. I want to continue working steadily without becoming complacent.
I am especially thankful to my friends who practiced speeches with me late into the night, to the teachers, seniors, and juniors who encouraged me, and to my family, who are always on my side. My interest in Russia started because of my roots in Sakhalin. I have found that many Russian people are incredibly warm, humorous, and caring, almost like family. To deepen the friendships I have already made, I want to continue improving my Russian, even though I still have much to learn. Спасибо большое!

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