Project activities will be conducted among students of the Faculty of Foreign Literatures and Languages at the University of Verona, one of the most prestigious universities on the Apennine Peninsula. The cooperation involves conducting a turbo course of Polish (5 days, 4 hours each) and delivering 10 lectures popularising knowledge of the Polish language, literature and culture during a week-long stay in Verona. Additionally, Polish philologists from Lodz will conduct another 10 lectures for students in Verona remotely, already in their home city. The lectures, supplemented with a selection of source texts, will be published in the form of a PDF file.
By establishing cooperation with the University of Verona in the field of promoting Polish language and culture, we are responding to the general interest in Poland and Poles in the Veneto region. It results not only from the conducted Slavic studies, but is also dictated by the presence of Poles both in Italy itself and in this specific region (especially on Lake Garda)
– explains the project manager Dr hab. Magdalena Pietrzak, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz.
In addition to Prof. Pietrzak, the project team includes: Dr Magdalena Wismont, Dr hab. Maria Berkan-Jabłońska, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz, Dr hab. Małgorzata Mieszek, Associate Professor at the University of Lodz, Dr Mateusz Gaze, Dr Kamila Kubacka and Dr Katarzyna Kowalik (Department of Italian Studies, University of Lodz, a translator).
Filling in the gap in the offer of Slavic studies at the Faculty of Foreign Literatures and Languages of the University of Verona constitutes the intended result of the project, whereas the initiation of Polish studies at the Faculty of Foreign Literatures and Languages is to be its long-term effect. This way, closer cooperation between the University of Verona and the University of Lodz will become possible, resulting in regular student mobility.
We also count on the interest of Italian students and lecturers in Polish culture and literature, which will result in the desire to visit our country. We hope that the implementation of the project will create an opportunity for cooperation and integration of the academic communities from both countries. This will contribute to building international relations and cultural understanding
– concludes Prof. Pietrzak.
The project will begin in December 2024 and will run 12 months. Nearly PLN 150,000 was obtained from the Polish National Agency for Academic Exchange for the implementation of the project activities.