On March 12–14, the 10th anniversary international scientific-practical conference titled "Bilingualism and the Dialogue of Cultures: Challenges of the 21st Century" was held in Parma and Milan. The event was organized by the University of Parma and the Leo Tolstoy Educational and Methodological Center for the Development of Bilingualism.
The conference brought together researchers and lecturers specializing in linguistics, foreign language teaching methodology, and intercultural communication. The working languages of the conference were Russian, Italian, and English.
Over the course of three days, participants discussed current issues related to multilingualism and bilingual education. Particular attention was paid to contemporary approaches to teaching Russian as a foreign language, the use of artificial intelligence technologies in instruction and assessment, and innovative methodological solutions ranging from storytelling to project-based and task-based learning.
The conference proceedings were organized into six thematic sections. During the first two days in Parma, participants presented academic papers and posters, and took part in roundtable discussions. The final day in Milan was held in a practice-oriented format, featuring masterclasses, workshops, and open lessons.
Presentations by participants from Armenia, focusing on research in teaching Russian as a foreign language, attracted special interest. Professor Lilit Brutyan, Doctor of Philological Sciences from the Chair of Russian Linguistics, Typology, and Communication Theory, delivered a presentation on the functional features of the Russian language within Armenia's linguistic landscape. Karina Hovhannisyan, Candidate of Philological Sciences and assistant at the Chair of Russian Language, presented a report on storytelling as an effective tool for developing communicative competence. Arusyak Nersesyan, Director of the YSU Russian Center, highlighted the specific features of teaching Russian to future legal professionals.
The conference served as a significant international platform for the exchange of academic and pedagogical experience, the strengthening of scholarly ties, and discussions on the prospects for developing bilingual education in the context of global challenges in the 21st century.
A collection of academic papers based on the conference proceedings is planned for publication.
