The First International Philosophy Olympiad was held on the 22nd of November 2022, bringing together over 1,100 participants from all over the world.
The First International Philosophy Olympiad was held on the 22nd of November 2022, bringing together over 1,100 participants from all over the world. The event was organised by Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University and Lomonosov Moscow State University at the initiative of the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Mishustin, with the support of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russia.
Seventy-five finalists from 11 countries (Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Uzbekistan, Vietnam) arrived in Kaliningrad to participate in the final stage of the Olympiad.
A range of cultural events and excursions were organised for the students, including trips to the Baltic Sea coast, Kaliningrad, and a visit to the House of Pastor Anders (Immanuel Kant Museum). Participants also had the opportunity to visit the Wallenrod Library at Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, which houses a collection of unique and rare books dating back to the 15th century.
In addition, open lectures were given by leading experts in the fields of philosophy and neuroscience. For example, Tatyana Chernigovskaya, Director of the Cognitive Research Institute at St. Petersburg University, Corresponding Member of the Russian Academy of Education, and Honoured Scientist of Higher Education and Science of the Russian Federation, delivered a lecture titled "Baroque Brain." Tatyana Chernigovskaya discussed how knowledge of the brain’s structure has evolved over the centuries, why Baroque as an artistic movement most accurately reflects current understandings of the brain, and why the humanities should be involved in brain research. Notably, the online broadcast of Tatyana Chernigovskaya’s lecture garnered over 22,000 views. Registration for in-person attendance by Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University students and staff (a total of 200 places) closed within just three hours of opening.
The closing ceremony of the Olympiad was held on the 25th of November 2022 at the Kaliningrad Cathedral, where the winners and prize-winners of the International Philosophy Olympiad were announced.
The best results across both stages were achieved by the following students:
- Abbas Jong, Humboldt University of Berlin, Germany
- Vyacheslav Pyatakov, Higher School of Economics, Russia
- Denis Stelmakhov, Southern Federal University, Russia
- Juan Villalba Soriano, Madrid Distance University, Spain
- Yulia Fedotova, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Russia
- Alexander Sobka, Saint Petersburg State University, Russia
The jury members and organisers also gave special recognition to participants who made a particularly strong impression during the presentation of their research papers:
- Alvaro Berbel Rodriguez, University of Granada, Spain
- Alexander Karpuk, Saint Petersburg Theological Academy, Russia
- Daria Leonova, Donetsk National University, Russia
The winners and prize-winners of the Olympiad were given the opportunity to publish their competitive works in the Kantian Journal (indexed in Scopus), provided with benefits for admission to master's and postgraduate programs at Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University and Lomonosov Moscow State University, and were also awarded modern laptops, tablets, and smart speakers.
The event concluded with an organ concert and a light show on the facade of the Kaliningrad Cathedral.