2018 Football World Cup in Russia

The World Cup football championship, as other international megaevents of this scope and significance, is not only a key activity in the sphere of sport, an example of outstanding economic investment or a period of worldwide tourism boost; it also creates a strong reason for developing intercultural networks, expanding the horizons of cross-linguistic awareness and embracing international cultural diversity. This is true not only for people managing to travel to the main sites of the event or local communities welcoming international guests. Constant mainstream media attention, as well as globally available reports in social media, make it difficult to stay away from the omnipresence of this megaevent. One of the effects of co-created hype is the growing interest in the countries, places and cultures which host these global events. The 2018 Football World Cup in Russia has proved this point.

In response to the attention turned towards Russia, its language and culture, in the North East of England during this event, OWRI’s Cross-Language Dynamics project ran a series of events designed to promote language awareness and interest in foreign cultures among various audiences. Our school presentations and workshops have expanded children’s cultural horizons, introduced Russia as a country, and highlighted both intercultural connections and opportunities for further individual explorations of Russian culture, history and language. Discussions around the World Cup and its impact on intercultural education and communication have also provided another important contribution to the analysis of intersecting local identities, senses of national belonging, and practices of international solidarity and support.

See detailed report on events carried out in partnership with Langley Moor Primary School, County Durham, and Whytrig Middle School, Whitley Bay, in July 2018.

• World Cup outreach events report (.pdf)

Events

17 October 2018
The 2018 Football World Cup in Russia: Cultural Impact & International Reception, workshop and round table discussion (ER142, 3.30-5.30pm).

11 July 2018
Whytrig Middle School, Whitley Bay. Workshops at Durham University on Russian langauge, geography and culture for pupils transitioning to middle school.

9 July 2018
Langley Moor Primary School, County Durham. Introduction to Russia, Russian language, and the city of Samara to schoolchildren in Y0 to Y6.

Publications

Rhys Crilley, Marie Gillespie, Vitaly Kazakov and Alistair Willis, '"Russia isn’t a country of Putins!": How RT Bridged the Credibility Gap in Russian Public Diplomacy during the 2018 FIFA World Cup', The British Journal of Politics and International Relations, online first (27 May 2021).

For further information contact: p.s.klyuchnikova@durham.ac.uk