9 December 2016
December 8th, the annual gathering of MGIMO graduates working and living in Austria took place at the Russian Centre for Science and Culture in Vienna.
The meeting was attended by members of the Russian diplomatic corps, diplomats from various countries, representatives of international organizations, academics and businessmen. The Russian Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky, who was on a business trip to Austria, was the guest of honor of the meeting. Several generations of MGIMO alumni participated in the event, including graduates from the 1960’s and 1970’s who have preserved ties with their Alma Mater.
In his welcome words, MGIMO Rector Anatoly Torkunov greeted all the guests and underlined the importance of such gatherings, which enable MGIMO alumni to stay in contact with their University. During the ceremony, the Russian Ambassador to Austria Dmitry Lyubinsky, the Russian Ambassador to the Slovakia Alexei Fedotov, the Russian Ambassador to Croatia Anvar Azimov, the Head of the Diplomatic Mission of Vietnam in Austria Vu Viet Anh and the Head of the Diplomatic Mission of Mongolia in Austria Gunaajav Batjargal were awarded the sign of honorary member of MGIMO Alumni Association. The University’s «Medal of Merit» was conferred upon Vladimir Voronkov, Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the international organizations in Vienna.
The evening unfolded in a friendly atmosphere and came to a close with a remarkable performance by the Russian composer Alexander Zhurbin.
— See the MGIMO web-site for more photos and russian version
