In November 2024, the Daugavpils University Association for Lifelong Learning, Culture, and Science Communication, “Intellect Park”, completed the implementation of the in-person conversational language club “I Want to Talk to You” in Daugavpils. This initiative was part of the project “Let’s Experience Latvia Together” (ID No. 2024.LV/2/UKR_KO/023), funded by the Latvian state budget programme “Cultural Orientation Courses and Inclusion Activities for Ukrainian Civilians”. The programme was aimed at Ukrainian children of school age.
The participants of the conversational language club engaged in discussions on topics such as “Who are we and how do we experience Latvia?”, “The world of professions”, “Challenges of the Web” and “We in Latvia – cultural experience”.
The sessions fostered an informal and inclusive atmosphere, where every Ukrainian participant took part in conversations and discussions related to daily life and personally meaningful topics. The children showed great interest and eagerly participated in games, demonstrating creativity, knowledge of the Latvian language, and curiosity in developing their communication skills.
Each session was carefully planned by educator Ilona Bohāne, who selected methods and tools adapted to the appropriate age group to ensure every meeting was engaging. Native speakers also participated in the conversational language club, assisting in the development of communication skills and the acquisition of new vocabulary.
Particularly anticipated were the sessions featuring writers Andra Manfelde and Luīze Pastore. Andra Manfelde’s detective story “Is Mom Home?” sparked great interest and excitement, especially following a visit to the theatre performance “The Secret of the Red House”, based on her book. Each participant of the conversational language club received a copy of the book, personally signed by the author. Luīze Pastore delighted the group with her engaging activities and captivating stories about when and how she began writing, her sources of inspiration, and the characters in her books, which brought joy to all participants. The project’s target audience valued the opportunity to meet Latvian writers, ask them various questions, and learn more about the characters of their stories.
The Ukrainian participants, in their feedback, expressed enthusiasm and gratitude for the engaging sessions, the knowledge gained, and the friendly atmosphere that made everyone feel valued and welcomed at each meeting. The members of the conversational language club improved their proficiency in using the Latvian language, reducing language barriers through communication in diverse everyday situations. They also expanded their vocabulary, which enabled them to communicate more effectively, including in a school environment.
Upon the conclusion of the programme, each Ukrainian participant received a certificate as recognition for their participation in the conversational language club.
The project is financially supported by the Society Integration Fund from the allocated Latvian state budget resources.
Daugavpils University Association for Lifelong Learning, Culture, and Science Communication “Intellect Park” is responsible for the content of the project activities.
