Saturday 21 February
2pm, Belarusian Religious and Cultural Centre,
39 Holden Road, London N12
A CELEBRATION OF THE BELARUSIAN AND ENGLISH LANGUAGES
An event to mark the UNESCO Mother Language Day
2pm – for the children (up to the age of 13) [organised by Karalina Maćkievič]: Short poems, chat, whatever they would like to do in Belarusian. A small present for all the children who participate.
3pm – for the adults (13 and upwards). [organised by Vera Rich] Read your favourite Belarusian poem (no need to learn it by heart!). There will be prizes amounting to a total of £50 (the Alexander Lutsko Prize, kindly donated by Dr Alan Flowers) for the best readings (1st prize: £25; 2nd prize £15; 3rd prize £10).
Poets from Vera’s Manifold Voices team will be present to read English translations of Belarusian poems, as well as English poems relevant to the occasion.
The programme will be interspersed with items inviting thought and discussion about what is meant by ‘mother tongue’.
It would be really good if a party atmosphere could be created throughout the proceedings! Some refreshments will be provided (perhaps draniki [potato pancakes] with sour cream), but contributions of food and drink will be very welcome!! [By the way, Lent begins on Wednesday the following week.]
This is in many ways an experimental event; let us try to make the occasion the first of many in the UK which celebrate the Belarusian language.
For information on the background to the UNESCO Mother Language Day go here.
Dr Alexander Lutsko was Rector of the International Sakharov College of Radioecology in Minsk until his death in 1997. See here.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE SOCIETY
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