International Day of Sign Languages

Posted on 23 September 2022 by Liang Wang

Did you know that there are approximately 72 million deaf people in the global population? These people collectively use over 300 different sign languages! Alongside all the national languages, there is a shared international sign language used by the deaf community to communicate socially, on trips abroad, and in international business settings.

This International Day of Sign Languages, celebrated on 23rd September each year, to coincide with the creation of the World Federation of the Deaf in 1951, sits within International Week of Deaf People (19th-25th September 2022). The theme for this year is Building Inclusive Communities for All. Learning basic communication in sign language, whether national or international, can really help to make the global community of deaf people feel more included in society. As actress Rose Ayling-Ellis so aptly puts it, “There’s nothing wrong with being deaf – it’s society that’s the problem”.

The Language Centre offers British Sign Language courses in Levels 1 and 2 and registration for these is open now, via our website: www.qub.ac.uk/lc

2022 LC Course Autumn Programme

Posted on 31 August 2022 by Liang Wang

Happy September!

With the approaching of the new semester we are pleased to announce that the Language Centre course enrolment starts at 00:30 on Thursday 1st September. We offer over 80 classes in 14 different languages that have both online and in person teaching. All classes will commence week beginning Monday 10 Oct 2022.

Online registration will be closed on Thursday 6 Oct and we welcome all to make an early registration as courses are extremely popular and fill up quickly. Class schedule and registration links are accessible via Language Centre website.

Cultural awareness workshop for QUB Accommodation RA training

Posted on 31 August 2022 by Liang Wang

Goodbye, August, and hello, September!

We are very pleased that today, Dr Liang WANG, from the Language Centre, provided a Chinese cultural awareness workshop for the Queen’s Residential Assistant Team who have kicked off their training to welcome international and home students to Queen’s.

While the session had its focus on an understanding of Chinese students, the largest international student body on campus, and the cultures they bring along, the principles of enhancing one’s intercultural awareness and developing intercultural communication skills are essentially applicable to the approach to interacting with all international students, as well as home students from the non-essentialist perspective – embracing cultural diversity, breaking down stereotypes, showing respect, and developing critical cultural awareness.

We hope that our Cultural Awareness training will be helpful to all students, home and abroad, to enhance their life experience while studying at Queen’s. We would like to send our best wishes to the upcoming international students for a successful year ahead.

We are also happy to be contacted for consultation and tailored workshops to suit particular needs relating to language learning and cultural awareness training. For any enquiries, please email us at language@qub.ac.uk.

A tour of the Irish Craft Heroes

Posted on 5 August 2022 by Liang Wang

Did you know that August is the Craft Month in Northern Ireland?

While we hope you are still enjoying the summer days, we would like to recommend the Irish Craft Heroes – 50 Makers X 50 Years outdoor exhibition, as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival, at the Ulster Museum just next to Queen’s. It is such a great opportunity not only to explore the local craft culture but also to taste the Irish language through the exhibition displays.

Outdoor exhibition of Irish Craft Heroes | Image@LiangWANG

What’s the exhibition about?

Irish Craft Heroes is a highly-visual, outdoor panel trail celebrating Ireland’s inspirational craftspeople and makers whose work has contributed to the rich tapestry of craft and design practice in Ireland.

The exhibition charts the evolution of the craft and design sector on the island of Ireland over the last 50 years, and pays homage to the many makers whose work has significant legacy.
Craft NI

Below is our selected photo collection of the exhibits for you to view online but with our great passion we encourage you to take a tour of the outdoor exhibition on a great day out with friends and families.

Cultural Awareness for EPS 2022 Summer School

Posted on 26 July 2022 by Liang Wang

Congratulations to the launch of the 2022 EPS Summer School at Queen’s! On Monday morning 25th July, we welcomed some 120 international students from China, India and Malaysia via MS Teams.

We hope that the students find our Cultural Awareness session useful and interesting, and get a taste of the local cultures, although they cannot fly to Belfast in person. We look forward to welcoming many of them, if not all, to study at Queen’s in the near future.

About the EPS Summer School

Since 2014, the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences (EPS) has welcomed over 500 students from China and across the globe to the annual summer school. In spite of restrictions on travel in 2021, the faculty of EPS successfully launched a virtual summer school. Almost 200 students were welcomed and joined the online programmes.
EPS SUMMER SCHOOL

In 2022, students can pursue their interests in one of six tailored EPS summer school programmes:

PSYCHOLOGY
CIVIL ENGINEERING
ELECTRONICS, ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
MATHEMATICS AND PHYSICS
MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
CHEMISTRY AND CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Africa Day

Posted on 25 May 2022 by Liang Wang

Happy Africa Day!

We would like to invite our staff members and students to join in the celebration of the Africa Day and celebrate their cultures, heritage and achievements.

**Complete the Cultural Diversity Survey**

African presence at Queen’s

About Africa Day

Africa Day commemorates the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (now known as the African Union) on this day, 25 May, in 1963. Formally known as African freedom day and then African Liberation day, its origin lies in the collective African resistance to colonialism and economic exploitation. The day was, and is, intended to highlight Africa’s continued collective struggle against adversity.

The African Union today strives to represent a vibrant continent of 1.2 Billion people. Today is a day to celebrate how far Africa has come against the odds and to recognise how much more needs to be done to ensure that all Africans can live healthy, happy lives.
Global dimension

World Day for Cultural Diversity

Posted on 21 May 2022 by Liang Wang

Happy World Day for Cultural Diversity!

The Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and International Staff Network, in collaboration with the Language Centre, would like to invite you to join us in celebrating this year’s World Day for Cultural Diversity!

**Visit QUB iRISE webpage for more information**

What our BAME&I staff say

‘To protect and promote cultural diversity and expressions, I draw my inspiration from best practices in the development of appropriate responses adapted to university contexts. iRise is intended to be a collaborative and evolving instrument by sharing information that will contribute to a better understanding of diversity and conducive to keeping alive this dynamic platform.’ (Dr Adone Mohd-Sarip)

‘In a world increasingly globalised through corporate interests but fragmented by war and lack of empathy, it is imperative that we foster cultural diversity in our communities, networks and institutions. This is the only way we can achieve understanding and peace. I very much hope that QUB will wake up to this through the agency of iRise.’
(Dr Daniel Roberts)

‘Too often, global conflicts have a cultural dimension, and bridging the gap between cultures and peoples through intercultural dialogue is needed more than ever in our multicultural, multiethnic, and multilingual world. Being a co-chair of QUB iRISE, I am committed to fostering the value of compassion, inclusion, and respect for others. Every effort from each of us constitutes one step further toward embracing diversity.’ (Mrs. Nimmy John)

‘Cultural diversity is a great starting point to recognise the rich, yet complex, societies of diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. As a Language Support Officer at Queen’s, I am committed to helping students and staff members primarily enhance their linguistic and intercultural awareness and sensitivity through the means of workshops, training sessions and cultural celebrations. Together, we can aim for mutual respect, equality and inclusivity.
(Dr Liang Wang)

Cultural Diversity Survey

In addition, we would also like to invite you to contribute to our Cultural Diversity Survey by filling in the form so that we can better plan for the various cultural festivals and special days.

World Portuguese Language Day

Posted on 4 May 2022 by Liang Wang

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!

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

Posted on 29 April 2022 by Liang Wang

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

Posted on 14 April 2022 by Liang Wang

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 21^st April at 5pm. Visit Language Centre April Enrolment page and do not miss out!

The Language Centre at Queen’s

Let languages take you places