Maria Zakharova, an official representative of Russia’s Foreign Ministry, has identified Professor Yuri Vyazemsky — a Candidate of Historical Sciences and presenter of the television Olympiad for schoolchildren “Clever and Clever” — as the standout educator during her academic years at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO).
Vyazemsky graduated from MGIMO’s Faculty of International Journalism in 1998 with degrees in Oriental studies and journalism. He continues to teach at the university, currently leading the Department of World Literature and Culture.
In an interview on Channel One, Zakharova stated: “I always say that you were and are the star of my educational stream, my personal one, and indeed our entire course.”
She noted that Vyazemsky combines rigorous academic knowledge with a deep understanding of each student’s unique talents.
On September 9, Zakharova also spoke about her graduation thesis at MGIMO, which focused on traditional Chinese New Year celebrations. During a pre-graduate internship at the Russian Embassy in Beijing, she experienced Chinese New Year festivities firsthand. She defended her diploma with a “five-plus” grade and received a recommendation for further graduate studies.
