The Peoples' Friendship University of Russia educated about 200 thousand students, including foreign specialists from around the world. One of them is a successful Lebanese businessman Kamal Shartuni.

In the summer of 1966, Kamal became one of the first graduates of the Faculty of Engineering of Patrice Lumumba University of Peoples’ Friendship. He gained knowledge here and went on to put it into practice, first in Saudi Arabia, then in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Qatar, Mexico, and Pakistan. He takes pride in over a dozen of completed projects: from the construction of rural roads to the largest power station in the world.

Today he runs his own paint factory and is nostalgic about the place that inspired him so much.

Due to visa problems, I arrived in Moscow only on September 20. The very first person I met in UDN was Elena Mikhailovna Stepanova, a teacher of the Russian language at the Preparatory Faculty. Since I arrived 3 weeks later, I fell behind the curriculum, so Elena Mikhailovna decided to give me additional lessons. From the very first day I was delighted with this person and really appreciated her help. Our classes culminated in a prom at the end of the academic year. Out of 750 students of the Preparatory Faculty, I was chosen to deliver a speech in Russian. Over all my 5 years at the university I was in touch with her, and continued to be even after I returned to Lebanon.

In 1967, I came to Saudi Arabia. The country at that time did not have diplomatic relations with the USSR. Therefore, over my 15 years of work in Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and other Arab countries, I was rather out of touch with the USSR. It was not until 1982, when I finally returned to Lebanon, that I contacted the Association of University Graduates and my Russian friends.

In 2018, Larisa Ivanovna Efremova came to Lebanon. She awarded me UDN diplomas. I am grateful to her, and through her, of course, to the University itself.

This year, a delegation from Moscow mayor paid a visit to Lebanon. I was asked to meet them and lead a round table discussion for businessmen who are intended to reconstruct Syria.

In my first year I worked as a correspondent for the Druzhba newspaper. I held interviews with famous personalities in the USSR, for example, with the Olympic champion — powerlifter Yuri Vlasov.

Since I myself am an amateur sportsman, I also did powerlifting. In winter I went skiing and skating, went to the pool, played volleyball and even took part in competitions.

In summer I worked on a collective farm in Moldova and spent my vacation there. I loved going to the country, visited museums, theaters, opera, and took dance lessons. My life was full and interesting; I always found something to do after studies.

In July 1967, I returned to Lebanon. I faced some difficulty in getting my diploma recognized. To earn my living, I started giving private classes. Several months passed before I found a job with one of the largest companies in Lebanon and the Arab world. Along with that, I managed to leave for Saudi Arabia, where my real career began.

My work experience spans for 53 years, so let me divide it into periods.

I started off as an intern engineer. My first project was the construction of a chemical fertilizer plant in Saudi Arabia.

My second job was in Abu Dhabi in 1969-1970. The company sent me to build a power plant and a desalination station. There I worked as a project engineer.

After this project, I was sent to Bahrain to build an aluminum plant. Despite the fact that raw materials were delivered from Australia, it was worth it, since next to this plant we built a natural gas power plant — the largest in the world.

In 1973, I came to Pakistan. Our company was blacklisted by Pakistani government due to one unscrupulous employee who sold part of the necessary equipment on the black market. My task was to get the company out of the black list and re-establish cooperation with the government. It was not an easy task, but thanks to hard round-the-clock work, I managed to succeed.

In 1974, I went to Qatar to build a cement plant. In 1975-1977, I again worked in Saudi Arabia at the construction of oil stations. In 1977-1978 I worked as a project manager in Jordan and Syria. Once I was staying in Damascus on business, I chanced to meet my future wife.

In the fall of 1981, I was appointed a partner and project manager in Mexico. I went there to found a new branch of the company. Despite the fact that Mexico seemed a promising country to me, I was forced to return to Lebanon.

Two months before my departure, I set up my own company. And while I was in Mexico, I received two proposals to participate in promising projects. I decided to leave the company where I worked as an employee, apologized and handed in my leave notice. Thus began the second period of my career.

From 1982 to 1987, I worked independently as an owner of a company implementing construction works on small and medium-sized projects. In 5 years I managed to complete 40 projects, including restoration of schools and hospitals, construction of new buildings, water tanks, pipelines and power lines between villages.

These works began, following a conflict between Israel and Lebanon, when Beirut was occupied. Everything was destroyed and I had to work a lot. Then I decided to build a factory producing paint and waterproof materials in Beirut itself, since the transport system was also destroyed.

Since 1985, I have been mainly working in my factory. I started traveling to Germany, Holland, and America to learn from their experience in the manufacture of paint. I always try to keep my production at a very high level. We offer a 20-year warranty, while the materials themselves can serve for more than 100 years.

In 1991, I received an invitation from Moscow. I was invited to present my produce at VDNH. This was my first visit to the USSR in 24 years. Within 2-3 days I refreshed my Russian and spoke it as well as in my student years. After this exhibition, I received a letter from the USSR Ministry of Defense with a proposal to build a plant for the production of roofing material using Dutch technology. Due to perestroika the construction of the plant had to be canceled, but I managed to sell several containers of paint from my factory in Lebanon.

After the exhibition in Moscow, I took part in several others across the globe: Germany, Holland, Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Poland, Syria, and France.

In 2005, the first Congress of UDN Graduates from all over the world took place in Moscow. I received an invitation and, of course, accepted it with great pleasure. I gave a lecture on behalf of Lebanese businessmen on our work and industries of Lebanon. Today I regularly participate in conferences at five universities in Lebanon and organize seminars for engineering firms for architects and experts.

The most valuable part of my experience is, I believe, my studying at Patrice Lumumba University of Peoples’ Friendship and the education I received here. Thanks to UDN, I laid strong foundation in life, achieved success in business, started a good family, got everything I was dreaming about in my student years. I am glad that I have chosen this particular university and graduated from it, which turned out to be a real ticket to life.

Today, life itself and everything that happens in it is what makes me happy. I am glad that I have a wife, my three good daughters, and my grandchildren — there is nobody closer and dearer to me than them — friends, my business, my realized plans and dreams. I am also inspired by simple joys of life: nature, good music, traveling, talking to interesting people. I try to enjoy everything and look for the good.

I sincerely want to say that I keep love, friendship and respect for the country where I studied and spent the best years of my youth. I wish all RUDN students and graduates good health, happiness, enthusiasm, ambitious goals, large projects, and putting to good use the knowledge they have received within the walls of the University. Take action for peace and cooperation with the people of Lebanon! I wish RUDN University to continue to bear the high title of one of the best universities, to remain among recognized leaders in the world.