Written by Clara, Victoria and Alexandra, Year 7
To celebrate the 24th anniversary of the European Day of Languages the Modern Foreign Languages Faculty organised a wide range of activities throughout the last week of September.
On Monday morning, Alice, Alex and Aarya led a whole school assembly on the importance of learning modern foreign languages and reminded students of all the benefits this can bring.
On Monday some students took part in an Oktoberfest baking workshop where they baked an Apfelstrudel, a traditional Viennese pastry popular throughout Austria and Germany. That afternoon students who took Russian could find out about the portrayal of women in the Soviet Propaganda Art. It was fascinating to find out about how equality was at the heart of many soviet art pieces depicting women. ‘’Strength, power, and resilience’’ were the main themes, and the “work, build and don’t whine” approach was the driving force of the time.
On Tuesday, the Italian department had organised a pasta making session as well as an Italian Karaoke and there was also a workshop for people to sign up for Russian style pancake making.
On Wednesday, the students had the opportunity to go to a Mogao Cave talk by Dr. Song and Emma who once was a student here. Where you’d discover the Dunhuang Academy, the world’s only cultural institution dedicated to preserving the Caves. One of the central partners in the upcoming major British Museum exhibition on the Silk Road. At the end you got a tote bag!
Finally, on Thursday and Friday there was a Snow Skin Mooncake workshop and a German Social Evening for years 11, 12 and 13. There were also French Macramé and Russian name bracelets workshops.
Most students engaged in these activities, and it was a fantastic opportunity to show how dear learning languages and discovering new cultures are to our community.
