European Intercultural Festival

Mikita Volkau, author of the best essay in "My favourite town in Belarus" competition held during the 2nd European Intercultural Festival, was awarded a trip to Belgium as his prize. The lucky winner went on to describe the atmosphere of Brussels, Bruges and Antwerp in his travel notes. These tell us why the main Belgian city is called "Bruksela", which languages "Minsk is speaking" and which songs Belgian street musicians play on the cymbalo. The trip to Belgium was organized by the Office for a Democratic Belarus (Brussels, Belgium) with the support from Pact and USAID.

Andrei Liankevich, winner of the "Europe is near us" photography contest  of the 2nd European Intercultural Festival,  received a trip to Belguim as his grand prix. Earlier this week the Belarusian photographer spoke to us to share his impressions from Brussels and talk about his new photo project on the World War II legacy in modern Belarusian culture. The trip was organized by the "Office for a Democratic Belarus" (Brussels, Belgium) with support from Pact/USAID.

On 4-14 September 2014, Minsk hosted the 2-nd European Intercultural Festival, the international forum that brought together experts and guests from different EU and EaP countries to share their knowledge and cultural heritage with the Belarusian audience. Among them, the Finnish expert on gender issues - Carita Peltonen, who delivered two brilliant lectures. For your attention we offer the presentation of the first lecture by Carita 'Is the Nordic Countries a Paradise for Women? And What about the Men' followed by her comments. Please enjoy.

This year the 2nd European Intercultural Festival was held under a slogan “Getting to know each other better”. During 10 days of exhibitions, movie and photo shows, discussions and lectures, master-classes and presentations in Minsk, Hrodna, Mahilyou and Brest hundreds of participants united by the Festival had a chance to learn more about the culture of Belarus, Germany, Georgia, France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and other countries.

The European Intercultural Festival concluded with a series of lectures on “Bologna” reforms in higher education and possibilities of informal studies in Europe and Scandinavia. Among other events of this week are volunteering, struggling against gender stereotypes, basics of individual application for studying abroad.

Selection of the winners in the contests organized within the framework of the European Intercultural Festival-2014 with the help of the author of children’s book “The adventures of Captain Tanaka” Ales Kudrytski, Georgian writer Dato Turashvili, Belarusian scriptwriter Andrey Kureychyk and historian Nina Stuzhynskaya.
Lecture by the researcher of Carnegie Europe fund at the Belarusian State University.

3-5 Days of the European Intercultural Festival were marked by a meeting of the admirers of the “City of the Sun” with a German historian Thomas Bohn, a keen researcher of the “socialistic” context of Minsk; public discussion about the European future by leading Belarusian and foreign experts; travelling with “Tripadvisor”; traditional Georgian Khachapuri cooking class; tips for journalists covering the activity of EU institutions.

The headliners during the second day of the European Intercultural Festival were a meeting with a popular Georgian writer Dato Turashvili and an unforgettable English lesson by the British Ambassador to Belarus Bruce Bucknell. Admirers of Swedish culture had a possibility to get acquainted with the activity of the Centre for Swedish Studies.

The European Intercultural Festival 2014 cheerfully started at 9 a.m. on the 4th of September. It began with interactive info-day “Youth projects by “Erasmus+”: European possibilities for Belarus”.

European Intercultural Festival 2014
From the 4th to 14th September
Getting to know each other better!
Cultural and educational events, best international experts and lecturers, specialists in the field of art, new trends and approaches – all thess can be found at the European Intercultural Festival 2014. In addition to Minsk, this year the festival will be held in Mahiliou, Hrodna and Brest.