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Grundtvig: practical learning for adults

Nikolaj Frederik Severin Grundtvig was a Danish bishop, poet, author, hymn writer, philosopher, historian, teacher and politian. Further he was the founder of Grundtvigianism, which established free-schools and folk high schools across Denmark, to support free and informal education.

 

Born on 8 September 1783 in Udby, Denmark, Grundtvig was the son of a Lutheran pastor and a mother who “had great respect for old Norse legends and traditions”. Grundtvig developed a great religious understanding and a fascination with myths and sagas.

 

He was accepted at Copenhagen University where he studied theology and got his degree in 1803. After that he took the position of tutor on the island Langeland where he used his spare time to study literature.

 

After a religious crisis in 1810 Grundtvig turned towards Lutheranism and “became his father’s curate”. He went on to cause controversy by accusing other theologians of treating Christianity as a philosophical idea only. He resigned his pastorate in 1826 but carried on writing. After 1844 he founded folk high schools where “young people of every class were encouraged to be educated. These schools spread throughout Scandinavia and inspired adult education in several other countries.”

 

After working as a preacher at Copenhagen’s Vartov Hospital Grundtvig became a bishop in 1861.

 

Grundtvig died in Copenhagen on 2 September 1872.

 

N. F. S. Grundtvig lends his name to the EU’s Grundtvig programme which “focuses on the teaching and study needs of learners taking adult education and ‘alternative’ education courses, as well as the organisations delivering these services. It aims to help develop the adult education sector, as well as enable more people to undertake learning experiences, notably in other European countries.”

 

Read more about the Grundtvig programme on http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc86_en.htm

 

 

Sources:

Grundtvig, N.F.S.. (2010). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved June 15,  2010, from Encyclopædia Britannica Online Library Edition: http://library.eb.co.uk/eb/article-9038250

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolaj_Frederik_Severin_Grundtvig

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Summer holiday

We are enjoying the summer!!

Some of the team are off to the mainland this month, visiting various European countries. Maybe you are doing the same?
In case you need some help with your languages, you can access our list of online language dictionaries on the E(U)-Learning page.

You can find some quick holiday basics on the BBC’s language website too!

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Thinking of working abroad?

Did you know that two thirds of Britons live within a five-mile radius from where they were born? See what happened to the others in the latest Eurobarometer report:

Geographical and labour market mobilty - Report

Geographical and labour market mobilty - Summary

Working in another EU country

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EU! OK!

Introducing George Enescu

George Enescu (known in France as Georges Enesco) was born on 19 August 1881, in Liveni, Romania. He was a Romanian composer, violinist, pianist, conductor  and teacher.

He was born in the village of Liveni (later renamed “George Enescu” in his honor), Dorohoi County at the time, today Boto?ani County. He showed musical talent from early in his childhood. A child prodigy, Enescu created his first musical composition at the age of five. Shortly thereafter, his father presented him to the professor and composer Eduard Caudella. At the age of seven, he entered the Vienna Conservatory, where he studied with Joseph Hellmesberger, Jr., Robert Fuchs, and Sigismund Bachrich. He graduated before his 13th birthday, earning the silver medal. In his Viennese concerts young Enescu played works by Brahms, Sarasate and Mendelssohn. In 1895 he went to Paris to continue his studies. He studied violin with Martin Pierre Marsick, harmony with André Gédalge, and composition with Jules Massenet and Gabriel Fauré.

His music was influenced by both Romanian and Indonesian folk music.  He conducted the New York Philharmonic and other orchestras, as well as composing five symphonies, chamber music, suites for orchestra, and an opera.

After World War II, and the Soviet occupation of Romania, he moved permanently to Paris, where he died in 1955.  There is a George Enescu museum in Bucharest.

More on George Enescu on Wikipedia.

Romania facts

* Year of EU entry:  2007
* Political system:  Republic
* Capital city:  Bucharest
* Total area:  237 500 km²
* Population:  21.5 million
* Currency:  Romanian leu
* Official EU language:   Romanian

Romania, in southeast Europe, is mountainous in the north while the main feature in the south is the vast Danube valley. The river forms a delta as it approaches the Black Sea, which is a wildlife reserve for countless native and migratory birds.

The Romanian parliament consists of two chambers, the Senat (Senate) and the Camera Deputa?ilor (Chamber of Deputies). The members of both are chosen in elections held every four years.

Ethnically, the population is 90% Romanian and 7% Hungarian. The Romanian language, like a number of others in southern Europe, is directly descended from Latin, although Romania is separated from other Romance-language countries by Slav speakers. Romania has considerable natural resources – oil, natural gas, coal, iron, copper and bauxite. Metal-working, petrochemicals and mechanical engineering are the main industries.

Romanian speciality dishes include grilled meatballs, meat wrapped in cabbage leaves, pork stew with garlic and onions and doughnuts made with cream and cheese.

The spine-chilling tale of Dracula was inspired by the 15th century Romanian Count Vlad Dracul whose son was famous in wartime for impaling captured enemies. Less notorious Romanians include the writer Eugene Ionesco, the gymnast Nadia Com?neci and the composer George Enescu.

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Estonia gets the euro

Estonia is the latest country to join the euro-family. On 13 July the European Commission confirmed that Estonia will adopt the euro on 1 January 2011. It will be the 17th country to join the euro zone.

Estonia will join in a strong economic condition and will have enough time to prepare and inform their citizens before January 2011.

euro

Press Release

European Commission Economic and Social Affairs

BBC news

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Congratulations, Spain!

Congratulations to Spain on winning the FIFA World Cup 2010 in a nail-biting match (plus extra time) against the Netherlands yesterday.

Quotes

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World Cup

The three teams left in the World Cup are EU countries. We are very excited by this and have decided you bring you some facts about each country…

 

Germany

  • Average age: 25 – making this team the second-youngest team Germany has ever sent to the World Cup and the third-youngest team in the 2010 World Cup.
  • the German team is the most multicultural team this year.
  • all the squad members play for German clubs.

 

The Netherlands (Holland)

  • Average age: 27.7
  • Beesie (can loosely be translated as “beastie”) is the mascot that the Dutch have chosen for this World Cup. Beesie is on Facebook.
  • Coach Bert Van Marwijk’s daughter Andra is married to midfielder Mark van Bommel.

 

Spain

  • Average age: 25.9
  • Joan Capdevila’s favourite food is a Nutella sandwich with cheese.
  • Juan Mata studied journalism.

 

Other facts:

-          30 referees from 28 countries work at the 2010 World Cup.

-          Ghana is the youngest team at the 2010 World Cup (average age: 24.1)

 

Sources:
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5670809,00.html
http://www.1000goals.com/100-interesting-facts-about-world-cup
http://www.mirrorfootball.co.uk
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2010/the-average-age-of-all-world-cup-squads.html
http://www.ah.nl/persbeesie/wieisbeesie

 

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EU! OK!

Introducing Robert Kranjec

Robert Kranjec (born July 16, 1981 in Kranj) is a Slovenian ski jumper who has competed since 1998. He won a bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in the Team Large Hill event.

His first victory in a World Cup competition was at Kuusamo, Finland in 2005. The following years he could not reach any top results except for ski flying competitions.

In 2010 he celebrated his second World Cup victory at Tauplitz, Austria. After two more successful ski flying competitions at Tauplitz and Oberstdorf, in which he achieved the second place each time, he won the ski flying World Cup 2009/10.

Although he often jumps only average at Normal and Large Hills, he belongs to the world’s best active ski flying athletes.

He’s the current holder of the national record, 229 m, set in Planica in 2007.

Information on Slovenia

  • Year of EU entry: 2004
  • Political system: Republic
  • Capital city: Ljubljana
  • Total area: 20 273 km²
  • Population: 2 million
  • Currency: euro

Previously one of Yugoslavia’s six constituent republics, present-day Slovenia became independent in 1991 as Yugoslavia fell apart. It is bordered by Italy, Austria, Hungary and Croatia.

Four major European geographic regions meet in Slovenia: the Alps, the Dinaric area, the Pannonian plain and the Mediterranean. The country is mountainous, and Slovenes are keen skiers and hikers. The national flag depicts the three-peaked Triglav, Slovenia’s highest mountain at 2 864 metres.
Skiing in the shadow of Mount TriglavThe country was once part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The capital, Ljubljana, was founded in Roman times. Its university, with more than 50 000 students, contributes to the city’s busy cultural life. The main industries are car parts, chemicals, electronics, electrical appliances, metal goods, textiles and furniture.

Tourist attractions include the famous caves at Postojna, with their decor of stalactites and stalagmites. Graffiti in the caves shows that the first tourists came here in 1213.

Slovenian cuisine is strongly influenced by that of its neighbours. From Austria comes Strudel and Wiener Schnitzel. Italy has contributed risotto and ravioli and Hungary goulash. The potica is a traditional Slovenian cake made by rolling up a layer of dough covered with walnuts.

Among the most famous Slovenes are the physicist Jožef Stefan, the linguist Franc Mikloši? and the architect Jože Ple?nik.

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We are still celebrating

…the World Cup! As three EU countries are still taking part (that’s Germany, The Netherlands and Spain), we are still following the Football World Cup, even though England’s team has been home for a while now.

At the weekend football fiction writer Tom Palmer came to Leeds Central Library to celebrate with fellow football and literature fans. There were quizzes, refreshments, face painting and even a penalty shoot-out.

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You can see more photos of our World Cup exhibition and event on our Facebook page.

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Useful links for The Belgian EU presidency

“On 1 July 2010, Belgium takes over the presidency of the European Union from Spain, till 31 December 2010, before handing it over to Hungary. ”

eng-fra

http://eutrio.be/

http://www.youth-eutrio.be/

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