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Analyst expects Arabic language to become increasingly popular in Russia

According to Andrey Zeltyn, Kazan Federal University is essentially the cradle of Russian Arabic studies

KAZAN, May 13 /TASS/. Arabic and other Eastern languages will become increasingly popular in Russia in the near future, Andrey Zeltyn, leading Arabic simultaneous interpreter and senior lecturer with the Department of World Economy and International Affairs at the Higher School of Economics, said, as cited by the organizers of the "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum" event.

"Young people are very much into foreign languages these days. By the way, this is, to a large extent, thanks to neural networks. These programs have become effective enough, but their translations lack the emotional aspect, which is pushing people to learn foreign languages. I believe Eastern languages will grow increasingly popular in the near future," Zeltyn pointed out at a press conference dedicated to the Festival of Eastern Cultures.

According to the expert, Kazan Federal University is essentially the cradle of Russian Arabic studies. "Today, the overwhelming majority of people in the Middle East and North Africa speak Arabic. It shapes international relations to a certain extent, which is why it attracts a lot of attention," the organizers noted.

The Festival of Eastern Cultures is taking place in Kazan, the capital of Russia’s Tatarstan Region, on the sidelines of the 17th International Economic Forum "Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum." The event features photography and art exhibitions dedicated to Arab and Asian cultures, competitions for videos, posters, and photography, open lectures, workshops on Eastern languages, writing systems and traditions, as well as cultural performances by representatives of countries of the Islamic world, and screenings of documentaries and educational films about the countries of the East.

The 17th International Economic Forum Russia - Islamic World: KazanForum is being held on May 12-17. TASS is the general information partner of the event.

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