Winner of Hokkaido Russian Language Contest Arrives on Sakhalin

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK. December 16. VOSTOK-MEDIA – The winner of the Hokkaido Russian-language competition arrives on Sakhalin. The Russian-language contest was launched by Hokkaido Government, Sakhalin Region Representative Office in Sapporo, the Japan - Eurasian Countries Association with the assistance of Consulate General of Russia in Sapporo.

According to Russia’s Consul general in Sapporo Vasily Saplin, the competition was held at the highest level due to the many years’ experience of organizers and jury. This year’s event was hosted by the previous winner of the Hokkaido Russian language competition.
According to the press service of the regional administration, more than 20 participants of various ages took part in the competition. During the contest they recited poetry of Russian poets and answered questions of jury.

The competition for the main prize – the roundtrip ticket to the Russian city of Korsakov – was won by the second year student of Sapporo University Ebina Saori. Along with the main prize, she was awarded a Hokkaido Government Prize, Hokkaido Shimbun news paper prize, the special prize of the Twin Cities Association as well as prize from Russia’s Consulate General in Sapporo and Sakhalin Region Representative Office in Sapporo.

Delivering his opening speech, Andrey Kutovoy, Head of Sakhalin Region Representative Office in Sapporo, stated: “Despite the prestige attached to winning the Russian-language competition award, the organizers are still facing many challenges. It is vital to encourage Japanese students learning Russian language in remote from Sapporo cities and villages such as Wakkanai, Hakodate and Asahigawa to take part in the competition. It is quite possible that they will have to implement projects on economic and cultural cooperation between Hokkaido Prefecture and Sakhalin Region.”

First launched 41 years ago, the Hokkaido Russian-language contest is the oldest competition of this kind in Japan.