This year’s Debrecen Summer School started on 23 July, Monday. 168 students from 41 countries have come to study at the course.
Rector István Fábián recalled at a press conference prior to the opening of the summer course that the Debrecen Summer School had been first established 85 years ago, in 1927. “Due to the dedicated work of language teachers, organizers, supporting students, who serve the cause of the Hungarian language and culture, several thousands of our compatriots living abroad and foreign students learning Hungarian have participated in the courses over the last decades.” – he added.
Péter Szaffkó, Director of the Summer School said that 24 people had come to the course from the United States, 29 people from German-speaking areas, 10 from Poland and 9 from France but other, far-away countries like Brazil, Japan, India, Thailand and Tunisia are also represented. “The thematic course continues: this summer, 9 students will study about the Hungarian history and culture in English.” – noted the Director.
Besides language learning, traditionalism will form a major part of the school programme. In addition to getting to know Hungarian foods, learning folk songs and folk dances will be the pursuit on Tuesday evenings. The Hungarian Táncház (“dance house”) method was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List last year.
Source: MTI
