TRANSFORM4EUROPE PRESENTS: \n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”2\/3″][vc_empty_space height=”1px” css=”.vc_custom_1628690988868{background-color: #71af3a !important;}”][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1\/3″][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column][vc_empty_space height=”48px”]\r\n ABOUT<\/strong><\/p>\n \n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″]\r\n Which nation celebrates the Alphabet Day? How to read a German word which is one line long or even longer easily? What is the most beautiful sentence in Estonian? Is the concept of time understood in the same way in every country? Moreover, how to use this knowledge in academic and professional activities? These are just a few of the questions answered at the International Event for European Day of Languages.<\/p>\n For the first time, the Institute of Foreign Languages of Vytautas Magnus University celebrated this day together with six Transform4Europe Alliance partners. The opening meeting was hosted by the Transform4Europe Language Strategy Coordinator, Pawe\u0142 Zakrajewski, PhD, from the Faculty of Humanities of the University of Silesia in Katowice. During the opening ceremony, Dr Claudia Polzin-Haumann, Professor at the University of Saarland, one of the initiators of this international network introduced the Transform4Europe initiative and mentioned that the event aims to \u201cincrease the knowledge of the partner university communities about the languages of the Transform4Europe Alliance\u201d.<\/p>\n The importance of the European Day of Languages and such an event was also emphasized by the Vice-Rector for Communication of Vytautas Magnus University, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Vilma Bijeikien\u0117. \u201cIn this 20th-anniversary celebration of Day of Languages, which brought together all the Alliance partners and a good number of their students, we would like to share the Alliance\u2019s ambition to develop multilingualism in Europe, to learn about and value its cultural diversity, to encourage language learning among the Transform4Europe community, and to continue the discussion on the benefits and potential challenges of linguistic and cultural diversity in an active collaboration with business and other organizations,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n More than 400 participants met representatives of international companies and organizations. Participants learned more about intercultural and multilingual communication and its importance, and the need for languages in the labor market. The students also received practical advice, and various hilarious cases related to translation mistakes and misunderstandings were shared. There was the opportunity to \u201ctaste\u201d the languages of the Transform4Europe Alliance and participate in interactive multilingual activities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#71af3a”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column]\r\n LANGUAGE TASTERS<\/strong><\/p>\n \n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″]\r\n Since 2001, the VMU Institute of Foreign Languages has been celebrating the European Day of Languages with the rest of Europe by organizing various events to celebrate the occasion. During this international event, participants from different countries had the opportunity to \u201ctaste\u201d the languages of the Transform4Europe Alliance: Bulgarian, Catalan, Estonian, German, Italian, Lithuanian, Polish, or Spanish, during which many interesting facts were revealed, and participants had the opportunity to learn words and phrases in one language or another. Speakers also advised participants not to be afraid to speak, communicate, and learn languages, as they both open doors to careers and new experiences and help them see the world through slightly different eyes. Polish language was presented by Barbara Morcinek-Abramczyk, PhD from the School of Polish Language and Culture, University of Silesia in Katowice.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#71af3a”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column]\r\n PRESENTATIONS OF BUSINESSES AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n \n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″]\r\n During the European Day of Languages celebration, Transform4Europe Alliance students, teachers, and university staff were invited to listen to presentations from businesses and other organizations in four foreign languages \u2013 English, Spanish, Italian, and German. The following organizations have made valuable and memorable contributions to the program:<\/p>\n It is worth adding that the presentations in Spanish were prepared, among others, by the Cervantes Institute in Krakow. This part of the event was led by: Prof. Ma\u0142gorzata My\u015bliwiec, Leader of the Transform4Europe project on the part of the University of Silesia, and Vigilija \u017di\u016brait\u0117, who teaches Spanish at the Vytautas Magnus University in Kaunas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#71af3a”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column]\r\n INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES<\/strong><\/p>\n \n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>[\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row el_class=”container”][vc_column width=”1\/4″][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”3\/4″]\r\n Apart from listening to informative presentations, the event also included interactive activities. The participants created the \u201cword cloud\u201d from the most memorable words from the language tasters, which attracted great interest. Next to the major European languages \u2013 Spanish, Italian, German, Polish, Italian, German, Polish, etc., the Lithuanian words \u201clabas\u201d and \u201ca\u010di\u016b\u201d were lined up.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n The interactive map with farewell messages created at the closing of the event was equally popular. It reflected both the broad geography of the participants and the usefulness and relevance of the event. Guests of the virtual event wrote that \u201clearning new languages and cultures gives us a broader perception of our world\u201d (Spain) and that while \u201cthe majority of humanity is not able to appreciate the importance of multilingualism, the more people that take part in events like this, the more we discover the benefits of modern diversity\u201d (Belgium). Meanwhile, an Iraqi student simply expressed his heartfelt thanks for \u201ca conference full of languages and cultures\u201d.<\/p>\n All answers on the map can be seen here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n In her closing remarks, head of Transform4Europe Dr Cyntia Sandes Oliveira stressed that the meeting had been \u201cnot only interesting but also touching at some points\u201d. She summed up by adding that she was \u201cfelt touched by the language video from the Bulgarian taster, encouraged at the German taster, joyful by the Italian\u201d. In addition, she memorized new words in her formerly foreign Lithuanian, Estonian, and Polish languages. She was delighted to hear Catalan and Spanish again, languages that are so dear to her as well. Dr Cyntia Sandes Oliveira invited everyone to the prominent Transform4Europe events in 2022: the European Festival of Cultures in Kaunas on 4\u20137 May and the Mobility Week in Katowice, Poland on 9\u201313 May.<\/p>\n Text prepared by\u00a0Vytautas Magnus University<\/a><\/p>\n \n<\/div>\r\n <\/div>\r\n <\/div>
\nSEE HOW WE CELEBRATED
\nTHE EUROPEAN DAY OF LANGUAGES 2021<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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