Orenburg state university

Nikolai Ivanov: a journalist should be honest and love his characters

Students and educators from OSU Faculty of Philology and Journalism met Nikolai Ivanov, a famous Russian writer, Chairman of the Union of Russian Writers.

During a two-day stay in Orenburg, Nikolai Ivanov paid a visit to Orenburg State University, OSU Scientific Library, got acquainted with the folios at Rare and Valuable Books Department, and met teaching staff and students from the Faculty of Philology and Journalism. Ivan Erpylev and Mikhail Kildyashov, members of the Orenburg department of the Union of Russian Writers took part in the event; Orenburg Seminary students have also attended the meeting with the well-known writer.

Tatiana Olkhovaya, OSU Prorector for Academic Affairs pointed out that students of the Faculty of Philology and Journalism — future writers and journalists — got a wonderful opportunity to have a real dialogue with a contemporary writer and learn the secrets of professional mastery. Nikolai Ivanov shared his ideas on the status of literature and book publishing, on the mission of contemporary writers. For more than 10 years he has been conducting “Bastion” courses for journalists travelling to flash points. The peculiarity of training is that young people are immersed in extreme conditions as close as possible to real ones.

He has been researching for a book about the cities of Russian glory, and has already visited Rzhev, Volgograd, Yelnya.

At the end of the meeting, the guest wished future journalists to be honest with their profession, always feel responsibility to who they are writing about and love their characters.