With a flag, anthem and Peter's parting wishes: The First-year Student's Day was held in the Great Hall of the Saint Petersburg Academic Philharmonic

We publish a report on the solemn celebration of the beginning of the new academic year at the Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics.

On the eve of the Day of Knowledge, on August 31, in the Great Hall of the Saint Petersburg Academic Philharmonic named after D.D. Shostakovich, the State Flag of Russia and the flag of Saint Petersburg were solemnly brought into the hall. The student choir of Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics performed the National Anthem of the country.

The founder of Saint Petersburg, Peter I, "having heard about the celebration and knowing the glory of the university", "personally" greeted the "compatriots of the XXI century", congratulating the first-year students on the beginning of a memorable, interesting student journey. "Praise your parents and the Fatherland, gnaw the granite of science without being lazy," he addressed the younger generation.

The first-year students, their parents, partners of the university and colleagues were congratulated by Oleg Smeshko, Rector of UMTE, in honor of the beginning of the academic year: "It's nice to see almost 1000 young people here. You did everything right – you chose your future profession, came to Saint Petersburg, and entered the Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics. More than 50% of our first-year students came from other regions and other countries. It means that our university is recognizable both in Russia and in the world." Oleg Smeshko noted that studying is a daily - difficult, but at the same time interesting - productive work. Promising the newly-made students the support of the university's teachers and management, its partners, the rector stressed that a lot depends on the students themselves: "If you seek for knowledge hard, study with passion, confidently go to your goals, believe in yourself and support each other on the way to success, then you will certainly succeed. I wish you educational, scientific, creative and sporting victories!".

The representative of the Governor of Saint Petersburg in the Legislative Assembly Konstantin Sukhenko wished the first-year students to go through all the difficulties with dignity and realize all their dreams on their own: "Understanding what tasks our country is currently realizing will help you win and be strong. And may the knowledge that you will acquire at the university be a support to you. Be proud of your country, your city, and you will be able to be proud of yourself."

Extending congratulations to the first-year students on the first student holiday on behalf of the Chairman of the Legislative Assembly of Saint Petersburg Alexander Belsky, the Vice-speaker of the city Parliament Pavel Itkin wished them to keep hot hearts: "So that you would be active, determined to create – your country, your family."
Other guests also spoke about the correctness of choosing the beautiful city on the Neva River, which is the student capital, the Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics, one of the best universities in the Northwest, as well as about devotion to the Motherland, traditional values, the importance of constantly moving forward, improving knowledge and personal development in their congratulations at the ceremony – partners of the university – representatives of legislative and executive authorities, business, culture. First-year students and their parents were congratulated on the holiday by the First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Culture, Honored Artist of the Russian SSR, Honorary Professor of Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics Elena Drapeko; head of the Saint Petersburg regional branch of the United Russia Party, State Duma deputy Sergei Boyarsky; deputy of the Legislative Assembly of the Leningrad Region Nikolai Kuzmin; head of the Administration of the Frunzensky district of Saint Petersburg, Honorary Professor of Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics Konstantin Serov; Vladimir Gaidei, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Science and Higher Education of the Administration of Saint Petersburg; Evgeny Gorin, Executive Vice-President of the Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs of Saint Petersburg.

"It is unlikely that the knowledge acquired once will feed you all your life. It is necessary to constantly learn, adapt, in a good way, to the realities of life, - the parliamentarian Sergei Boyarsky addressed the heroes of the occasion. "But we must remember that there are eternal values that are not devalued - love for the country, care for it and for the family, honesty, decency, upbringing, culture." Sergey Mikhailovich wished the first-year students to "absorb every day of student time, soak up the spirit of this beautiful city and enjoy it."

As a part of the ceremony, the grand opening of the cell of the All-Russian Socio-state Movement of Children and Youth "Movement of the First" took place at the university. The chairman of the regional branch of the Russian movement of children and youth, Egor Kireev, congratulated on this event.
By tradition, representatives of the Student Councils of the University and College handed over to the first-year students a symbolic Key of knowledge. The senior students wished their younger comrades good luck in their studies, scientific activities, and sports, and they, in turn, promised to preserve and multiply the traditions of the university, with honor to bear the proud title of a student of the Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics.

Successful graduates of the university from different years addressed the freshmen with parting words. By the example of their professional development, they showed that the main thing is to believe in yourself and persistently go to your goal. And then all the peaks that may seem inaccessible at the beginning of the journey will be conquered.

Of course, no holiday is complete without musical gifts. The violin duet "Strings of Saint Petersburg" – Igor Zalivalov and Sofia Bridge – laureates of international competitions, participants of the Scarlet Sails festival, and artists of the Mariinsky Theater Boris Stepanov and Tsvetana Omelchuk performed musical numbers before the participants of the solemn event.

The solemn event ended with the performance of the student choir "Anthem of Saint Petersburg University of Management Technologies and Economics " – the university, whose first-year students became full members of the university team.