The European Day of Languages
Join the European Union National Institutes for Culture for an extraordinary occasion as we come together to commemorate the 2023 European Day of Languages. This vibrant celebration serves as a platform to embrace and honor the rich linguistic tapestry found within Europe, while fostering a love for language learning and the art of translation. Our event aims to champion multilingualism in education and literature, inviting participants to immerse themselves in an engaging and insightful experience. This gathering will facilitate the exchange of ideas and foster collaboration, nurturing a shared vision of promoting global understanding and an appreciation of diverse languages and cultures.
Roundtable discussion on multilingual education:
In this round-table discussion, members of the education community will delve into the topic of multilingualism, specifically focusing on the current state and future of second language learning within Chicago Public Schools (CPS). This insightful conversation promises to shed light on the importance of linguistic diversity and its impact on educational development.
Dr. Fabiola Fadda-Ginski is responsible for overseeing the world language programs in 227 Chicago Public Schools (11 languages taught; over 100,000 students enrolled). She has extensive experience as a project manager, school administrator, language teacher and instructional coach.
Joanne Clyde, Director of the Multilingual / Language Development Department for the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)
Carlos Berrozpe Peralta, Education Advisor, Education Office, Embassy of Spain (moderator).
Tzveta Sofronieva in Conversation with Reetta Pekkanen:
In this literary celebration of European multilingualism, poets Tzveta Sofronieva (Germany/Bulgaria) and Reetta Pekkanen (Finland) will read from their own poetry in English translation and in their original languages. Sofronieva and Pekkanen, both of whom are resident fellows at the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa, will discuss the importance of the linguistic structure and cultural context of the language to their work, as well as the European and international networks of collaborators that each are involved in.
This event is held in collaboration with the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa.
Tzveta Sofronieva Цвета Софрониева (poet, fiction writer, playwright, essayist; Germany/Bulgaria), a physicist and historian of science by training, is the author of over 20 books, including Anthroposzene [AnthropoScene] (2017), Прегърнати от мъглата [Embraced by the Fog] (2019) and Multiverse (2020), a collection of new and selected poems written originally in German, Bulgarian and English. Her poetry collection A Hand Full of Water (2012) was the recipient of the Adelbert-von-Chamisso Prize, a PEN/Heim Translation Fund grant, and the Cliff Becker Book Prize in Translation. Her poetry has been translated into 19 languages.
Reetta Pekkanen (poet; Finland) has published the collections Pieniä kovia nuppuja [Small Hard Buds] (2014), Kärhi [Tendril] (2019), Salakuljetuksia [Smugglings] (2021) and Katkaistut tulppaanit [Cut Tulips] (2023). Her poetry focuses on themes of personal and environmental loss, non-human perspectives, and natural semiotics. Among her awards are the Kalevi Jäntti Prize, the Katri Vala Prize and the Silja Hiidenheimo Memorial Stipend; she is a member of the poetry publishing cooperative Poesia.
EUNIC Chicago Cluster
EUNIC Chicago, a network of EU organizations, supports cultural exchange between Europe and the US. EUNIC promotes the role of culture in international relations and is a strat
