«EuroLang 2012» helps find common language with Europe

27.01.2010 17:20:54

Information Centre “Ukraine-2012” has presented the language and culture web-site EuroLang 2012, which suggests the countries of the Old World to learn Ukrainian and Polish. www.eurolang2012.com was launched by UEFA Euro-2012 Coordination Bureau director Illya Shevlyak, chief project’s coordinator and deputy rector of the Warsaw Academy of Computer Knowledge, Management, and Administration Slawomir Czepelewski, Mescomp Technologies S.A Vice-President Ksistof Pstrong, representative of the European board of Polish and Ukrainian Universities and the project coordinator Nadia Tkachyk, representative of the Warsaw Academy of Computer Knowledge, Management, and Administration Mateus Chepelewski, and Information Centre “Ukraine-2012” general manager Oleksandr Hlvynskyy.

“EuroLang 2012” is the first example of the community’s involvement into UEFA Euro-2012 related projects. It is one of the pilot projects to promote Ukraine as UEFA Euro-2012 co-host. Also, it will tell about Ukrainian cities supposed to host the 2012 Championship”, Mr. Shevlyak noted. 

“EuroLang 2012” is being realized and financed in the light of the European Commission program Life long Learning. According to Nadia Tkachik, the EC Council propagades the idea that every country should learn the language and culture of other European regions. “The materials are illustrated and sounded. In total, the portal suggests elementary level of knowledge – 1,000 words used in daily life. Sporting words will be of interest for football fans”.

The projects’ partners are organizations from five countries – Bulgaria, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Poland. Their representatives will secure promotion as well as management at sites.
 
The language course at “EuroLang 2012” consists of 18 lessons. Upon learning, a user will have elementary command of Ukrainian or Polish. A sound vocabulary will help read and listen to 5,000 words.

“What is important, that, apart from 23 official languages of the European Union, a visitor of the web-site may use two more, which are Ukrainian and Russian. This will encourage more people to study Ukrainian and Polish”, Nadia Tkachik underlined. 

A special section is dedicated to the Ukraine as well as Poland’s UEFA Euro-2012 preparations. The project’s objective however is to be vital not only during the 2012 Championship but after the soccer tournament as well.

As Ksistof Pstrong put it, the technical specifications of the portal allow its simultaneous usage by 10,000 visitors, with potential capacity being 700,000,000 people.

“EuroLang 2012” budget is EUR 420,000. Notably, 75% of funds were allocated by the European Commission, and the rest – by Polish partners. The project proves to be extremely expensive. Yet neither the coordinators, nor the investing companies are not going to generate profit. “This project is social. We do not set ourselves any commercial objectives. We just want to bring closer the cultures of Poland and Ukraine”, Slawomir Chepelewski underscored.

Serhiy Yushchyshyn, Information Centre “Ukraine-2012”

Photo by Iryna Moroz, Times media group

http://en.euro2012.ukrinform.ua/news/117/p18446