CONFERENCELatvian Language and Culture Summer School 2023
July 17 – August 9, 2023
In 2023, the Latvian Language and Culture Summer School was held for the 9th time. It brought together students and lecturers from various universities, as well as language enthusiasts with different levels of Latvian proficiency from all over the world: Brazil, Canada, China, Japan, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Italy, the Czech Republic, Ireland, and Luxembourg. For many of them, interest in the language and traditions is rooted in their own or their relatives’ heritage or connections with Latvia.
Most of the participants had already acquired the basics of Latvian beforehand and improved their knowledge at a higher — B1 — level.
During the two-week study program, learners of Latvian attended lectures, seminars, and other practical classes. They also went on a tour of Old Riga, visited the Krišjānis Barons Memorial Museum, the Museum of the Occupation of Latvia, the Riga History and Navigation Museum, and the Latvian Ethnographic Open-Air Museum, as well as traveled to Kuldīga and Cēsis.
In 2023, Latvian language classes at the University of Latvia’s Latvian Language and Culture Summer School were taught by Doctor of Philology Inga Laizāne, Master of Philology Marija Nikolajeva, and Doctor of History Kristīne Ante. History and politics were taught by Associate Professor Ivars Ijabs; art and culture by Anita Smeltere, museum educator at the National Library of Latvia and coordinator of the project “Latvian Culture Canon.” Latvian folklore and traditions were introduced by creative researcher and Master of Folkloristics Ilga Vālodze Ābele.
Some of the participants attended the summer school with support from the State Education Development Agency (VIAA), which provides financial assistance in the form of scholarships for the organization of summer schools. The support was intended to cover expenses for foreign students and academic staff participating in summer schools organized by Latvian higher education institutions.
You can also read about the 2023 summer school here:
Cilvēki no dažādām pasaules malām vasaras skolā apgūst latviešu valodu (17.08.2023. LSM.LV, LTV1, Rīta panorāma)
Ārzemniekus interesē latviešu un lietuviešu valodas apguve (13.08.2023.NRA)
Ārvalstnieki Latvijas Universitātes vasaras skolā apgūst latviešu valodu (04.08.2023. portal of UL)
