The Sakha-Belgian Grammar School
Branch of the French Philology Department of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Yakutsk State University

Written by Michael E. Nikolaev

2003 was declared an anniversary year of the Associated Schools of UNESCO. Sakha-Belgian Grammar School of Ust-Aldan region is one of such schools since February 23, 2000. The school was awarded the diploma of the Russian Commission for UNESCO on November 30, 2001 for the contribution to the development of cooperation with the UNESCO.

Different events on a calendar of the UNESCO are carried out at the school: competitions, concerts meetings and talks. On the International Day of Poetry there was held a contest on expressive reading of favourite poems in four languages of the world: Yakut, Russian, French, English.

During days of «Family readings» there was held a discussion on the topic «The Associated Schools of UNESCO of Russia and Yakutia».

At the beginning of 2003-2004 school year a competition «The Open Microphone » devoted to the Day of Scientific Information was conducted; three prize-winning nominations for average group of high-school students were raffled in the event.

At elderly inhabitants of a village liked domestic concerts which were successfully performed by pupils of 5th - 6th forms. Those concerts were devoted to the International Day of Tolerance on November 16.

On November 20 pupils of elementary grades were invited to a holiday devoted to the International Day of Children and the Children's right. Children brought with them their toys to the hol­ iday and performed on different themes such as «My favourite toy», «My favourite book», «Our small brothers » .

On the International Day of Struggle against AIDS meetings with doctors and specialists were conducted. Pediatricians, gynecologists and dermatologists from the local clinic took part in the meetings.

Much work is done by the school library which strives to bring the UNESCO ideas to all the schoolchildren thus contributing to international cooperation in the fields of education, science and culture, and to have respect for justice and human rights.

Thanks to the National Committee for UNESCO pupils of the Grammar School had a rest at Summer Camps in South Korea, Bulgaria, Hungary and France. There were 78 students who suc cessfully passed the intensive courses for languages through the Sakha Republic Ministry of Education.

For a period of three days (April 12-15, 2001) the Sakha- Belgian Grammar School was presented at the 5th Moscow International Exhibition under the section "UNESCO Associated Schools of the Russian Federation". Marianna Popova - Deputy Director of the school - was present for the occasion.