Author Archives: Liang Wang

World Portuguese Language Day

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In 2019, the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference decided to proclaim 5th May as annual “World Portuguese Language Day”. At Queen’s, the Portuguese language (both European and Brazilian) is not only offered in the form of degree pathway modules, but also taught for non-specific purposes. We would like to invite you to join with us in celebrating this day and sending our best wishes to those who speak and learn the Portuguese language at Queen’s and elsewhere.

Happy World Portuguese Language Day!

UNESCO

About World Portuguese Language Day

The date of 5 May was officially established in 2009 by the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries (CPLP) – an intergovernmental organization that has been in official partnership with UNESCO since 2000, and which brings together peoples with the Portuguese language as one of the foundations of their specific identity – to celebrate the Portuguese language and Lusophone cultures. In 2019, the 40th session of UNESCO’s General Conference decided to proclaim 5 May of each year as “World Portuguese Language Day”.

UNesco

Happy International Dance Day

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About the International Dance Day

In 1982 the Dance Committee of ITI founded International Dance Day to be celebrated every year on the 29th April, the birthday of Jean-Georges Noverre (1727-1810), creator of modern ballet. The intention of the International Dance Day Message is to celebrate dance, revel in the universality of this art form, cross all political, cultural and ethnic barriers, and bring people together with a common language – dance.

InternationalDanceday.org

While you can watch the International Dance Day performance online on Friday 29th April, we would like to invite you to join us in the celebration of the International Dance Day by reviewing the photos of some multicultural dance performances at the Qulture Night 2022, one of the Queen’s branded celebrations led by the International Student Society.

  • Photo: LiangWang
  • Photo: LiangWang
  • Photo: LiangWang
  • Photo: LiangWang
  • Photo: LiangWang
  • Photo: LiangWang
  • Photo: LiangWang
  • Photo: LiangWang

Do you know what dances they are? Write your answers in the Comment box below.

If you have Qulture Night dance performance photos, feel free to share through FB and Instagram, using #LoveQUB, #CulturalDiversity, #QultureNight2022, and tagging us and the International Student Society in the post.

Multiple cultural celebrations and Easter break

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April is a busy month with many important days and festivals to reflect cultural diversity at Queen’s. While we wish all those who celebrate Ramadan well on their fasting during the month, we would like to invite you to join us in sharing our greetings and best wishes to the communities at Queen’s and elsewhere who celebrate their traditional New Year on and around today 14/04:

Bengali / Cambodian / Hindu / Lao / Myanmar / Nepali / Tamil / Thai

Happy New Year! We’d be pleased to if you are happy to share your photos/videos of celebrations with us in your posts and use hash tag #CulturalDiversity #LoveQUB.

Calling QUB international staff and students –

Tell us what cultural festivals and days you celebrate by filling in the form below and we will do our best to help with circulation and celebration at Queen’s.

Cultural Diversity at QUB Survey

We also wish you all a happy and healthy Easter Break. While our office will be closed during the holidays, our course enrolment remains open until Thursday 21st April at 5pm. Visit Language Centre April Enrolment page and do not miss out!

International Nowruz Day

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Happy International Nowruz Day to all those who celebrate!

Nowruz, meaning the ‘new day’, has its spelling varying from country to country, marking the first day of spring (usually occurs on 21 March) and celebrated as the beginning of the new year by more than 300 million people across the globe, with over 3,000-year-long tradition of celebrations in the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East and other regions.

Nowruz is a rite dating back to at least the 6th century BCE, marking the new year and ushering in spring. Variously known as Novruz, Nowrouz, Nooruz, Navruz, Nauroz or Nevruz, this historic rite is observed on 21 March in many countries along the Silk Roads, including Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Iran, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

UNESCO

As such, The UN perceives Nowruz as “a significant role in strengthening the ties among peoples based on mutual respect and the ideals of peace and good neighbourliness”, a bridge between “the civilizations of the East and West, which influenced those civilizations through the interchange of human values”, to achieve “life in harmony with nature, awareness of the inseparable link between constructive labour and natural cycles of renewal and a solicitous and respectful attitude towards natural sources of life. (UN – International Nowruz Day)

The UNESCO also marks the significance of Nowrus through their platform Celebrating the New Year on the Silk Roads.

Calling QUB international staff and students –

Tell us what cultural festivals and days you celebrate by filling in the form below and we will do our best to help with circulation and celebration at Queen’s.

Cultural Diversity at QUB Survey

Happy Holi

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Happy Holi to those who are celebrating!

Holi, or the festival of colours, is a religious occasion considered the second biggest Hindu festival after Diwali. It marks the beginning of spring after a long winter and signifies the triumph of good over evil.

Typically spanning two days, the eve of Holi is when traditions commence with singing and dancing, while the actual day is the fun time that family and friends gather to playfully throw colorful paint and bright powders at each other and in the air.

Calling QUB international staff and students –

Tell us what cultural festivals and days you celebrate by filling in the form below and we will do our best to help with circulation and celebration at Queen’s.

Cultural Diversity at QUB Survey

Cultural Awareness Session for AHSS Students

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If you are an Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences student, then our Cultural Awareness Workshop is for you! Next Wednesday, 23rd March, the Language Centre will be facilitating an interactive session on cultural awareness and sensitivity – we hope to see you there! You can register by using the following link:

Registration

International Mother Language Day

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Happy International Mother Language Day!

The idea to celebrate International Mother Language Day was the initiative of Bangladesh. It was approved at the 1999 UNESCO General Conference and has been observed throughout the world since 2000.

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The theme of the 2022 International Mother Language Day, “Using technology for multilingual learning: Challenges and opportunities”, will discuss the potential role of technology to advance multilingual education and support the development of quality teaching and learning for all.

UNESCO

This day is celebrated annually to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity. Why not further your own linguistic and cultural awareness by signing up for one of our third semester language courses?

Registration will open on 1st March on our website for courses beginning in April.

Happy Year of the Tiger

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再见，牛年！你好，虎年！Goodbye, Ox, and Hello, Tiger!

The Language Centre at Queen’s and the BAME&I Staff Network invite staff, students, as well as members of the public, to join in welcoming the Year of The Tiger, which falls on Tuesday 1 February, with a variety of online cultural celebrations that explore the theme of Connectedness and Inclusion.

The launch event is scheduled between 13:00 and 14:15 on Wed 2 February featuring welcomes, cultural performances and a guest talk, followed by a variety of culture talks in the following weeks, as part of the Chinese Culture Forum 2022. All welcome! Check our Chinese@Queen’s Blog with more cultural events to come in this week and the following weeks.