Eight International Latvian Language and Culture Summer School "Latvia's Cultural Canon" Opened
On August 4, 2024, the eighth International Latvian Language and Culture Summer School “Latvia’s Cultural Canon” organized by the Centre for Latvian Studies of Daugavpils University was started. The activities of the Summer School will take place in Riga, Auleja Parish and Daugavpils until August 13.
10 foreign students from Japan, Indonesia, People’s Republic of China, Spain, France, Georgia, Türkiye, Moldova and Uzbekistan are participating in the Summer School.
The uniqueness of the Summer School topic is shown by the interest of foreign academic staff, researchers and students in participating in the programme. In this year's scholarship competition, the organizing team of the Summer School received 156 high-quality applications from 24 countries around the world. Out of all applications, 10 of the most motivated candidates were selected on account of their academic and research interests being related to interdisciplinary cultural studies, language and cultural studies, study and interpretation of the history of the Baltic States.
The main topic of the Culture module of the Summer School is “Latvia’s Cultural Canon”, for research and introduction of which a unique programme was developed.
Simultaneously with the Cultural Canon module, summer school participants acquired the module “Latvian language as a foreign language”, which was also used during practice sessions, excursions and field studies.
It is important that within the summer school participants will not only become acquainted with the experience of defining the cultural Canon in Latvia, but will also form the international experience of interpreting it. Within the framework of the programme, school participants will have acquired knowledge of the history, structure and competence to describe canonical cultural values in other cultures.
The first part of the Summer School took place in Riga City. On August 4, upon the beginning of the Summer School’s activities, participants became acquainted with the Latvia’s cultural canon element “Architecture and Design”, looking at the most important stops of the cultural Canon treasure “Vecrīga Skyline”, as well as visiting the concert of 37th International Organ Music Festival “RĪGAS DOMS 2024”, in which the pieces composed by Latvian composer Jāzeps Vītols were played.
Summer school activities will continue by visiting the most important Cultural Canon treasures in Riga, Latgale and Daugavpils city, participating in excursions, field studies, lectures and seminars.
The Summer School project is funded by the State Education Development Agency (VIAA), providing 10 scholarships to students and academic staff of foreign higher education institutions. Funding was allocated to the Summer School programme within the VIAA Summer School projects competition.
The original programme of the International Summer School “Latvia’s Cultural Canon” is aligned with all three objectives of the VIAA Summer School project: intensive Latvian language learning, promotion of Latvian culture, history, education and the Latvian language, enhancement of Latvian recognition abroad and promotion of cooperation between Latvia and foreign countries.
The summer school is implemented by the Centre for Latvian Studies of Daugavpils University Faculty of Humanities.
Summer School Team: Dr philol., Prof. Maija Burima (Head of the Summer School), Evita Badina, Diāna Skuķe, Sergejs Poļanskis, Ilmārs Mežaraups.
This project is financially supported by the State Education Development Agency of the Republic of Latvia.
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MORE DETAILS:
Dr. philol.,
prof. Maija Burima
Head of Center
for Latvian Studies
Daugavpils
University
E-pasts:
summerschool@du.lv