siddlobo   31 October, 2008 23:17

It’s getting colder, the days are getting shorter but that’s no reason to stay at home. Here’s what’s happening in Europe this November.

Crossing Border Festival, The Hague, Netherlands
18^th November – 22^nd November
This is for literature and music lovers. Crossing Borders is an annual event that brings together theatre groups, authors, musicians, artists and bands. Best to get tickets in advance. For more information, check the link below.
http://www.crossingborder.nl/

Glasgay, Glasgow, Scotland
1^st October – 9^th November
This is Scotland’s self proclaimed annual celebration of queer culture. Events lined up for this year’s show include four premieres of Glasgay productions, comedy shows, contemporary performances by Steven Petronio Dance ( a group from New York), Simon Fischer and Black Sifichi plus visual art from Spain and Scotland.
http://www.glasgay.co.uk/

London to Brighton Veteran Car Run, London
2^nd November
Now here’s something unique. Old cars, history and a lot of old folks enjoying a good old drive. As the name suggests, the London to Brighton Veteran Car Run is just that.  Celebrating the ‘Locomotives on the Highway Act’ which raised the speed limit for lightweight automotives from 4 to 14 miles per hour, this event has been celebrated since 1896! The Brighton Run now ranks as one of Britain's biggest motoring spectacles and attracts entrants from around the world.
 http://www.vccofgb.co.uk/lontobri/

International Horse Fair, Lusitano, Portugal
7^th – 16^th November
This is for equestrian lovers. Lusitano horses are one of the most famous and favoured horse breeds in Portugal. They are very well-known for their skill in bullfighting and are considered to be one of the best riding horses in Portugal. The first International Lusitano Festival was held in 1986. Since then, it has become immensely popular amongst anyone interested in Portuguese Lusitano horses, mares, and foals.
http://horsefairlusitano.org/

Snakes and Ladders (Giocco dell’Oca), Mirano, Italy
8^th – 9^th November
This is a human scale snakes and ladders game with a difference – instead of snakes, the locals use live geese!  Expect an entertaining day of family fun, traditional costumes, ladder climbing, geese jumping street entertainment and music.
http://www.whatsonwhen.com/sisp/index.htm?fx=event&event_id=100283

Christmas Markets, Germany
3^rd weekend of November
There’s no better way to slip into the Christmas mood than by visiting one of the many charming Christmas markets that pop up in various parts of Germany towards the end of November. Forget about the usual mass produced gifts. You’ll find some quaint and handcrafted gifts like crib figurines, toys, wood carvings, marionettes, candles and lambskin shoes sold in a traditional Christmas setting. And while you’re there, don’t forget to warm yourself up with some delicious glue wine. For more information on locations and timings of the markets, click the link below. 
http://www.germany-christmas-market.org.uk/

Please note that there may be changes to the dates, events and line-ups at the festivals. For detailed information, check the official websites.

Sidd Lobo

Freelance copywriter based out of Munich

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siddlobo   08 October, 2008 21:04

As part of our series on international institutions, today’s article focuses on the British Council.

The British Council is a non-department public body of the UK government which specializes in educational and development opportunities. Founded in 1934, the main aim of this institution is to build cultural and educational relations between the United Kingdom and other countries. Its overseas network spans across 233 locations in 107 countries and territories. In the UK, it has branch offices in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Belfast, Cardiff and Cambridge and a headquarters in Spring Gardens.

The British Council has two main sources of income – funding in the form of grants from the governments and income from teaching English. In 2006/2007, it brought in an income of £551m, of which £195m was grants from the British government.

Key activities of the British Council
While its main focus is on the teaching and spread of the English language and culture, it is also actively involved in promoting arts and architecture, science and social development. Let’s look at each of these in a bit more detail

Teaching and learning English
The British Council has a number of courses to teach the English language to students of various levels. They also have a number of courses for people who want to teach English as a second language. Once ready to teach, the British Council supports and partners with other courses and networks to help students build their professional network. Some of the tie-ups that they are a part of include ELTECS, Hornby Educational Trust and SearchEnglish.

Strengthening Inter-cultural Relationships
The British Council offers a number of opportunities to strengthen cultural exchange between countuies.  Youth Exchange for example helps British youth volunteer in projects around the world, School Partnerships allows students to experience student life in another school in another part of the world, Teaching Exchange Programmes allow teachers to ‘visit’ and train in foreign schools and the Sports Partnerships give sports enthusiasts an opportunity to explore another culture through sports. The Global Exchange is another interesting programme where a team from UK and a team from another country work together on a project for six months to learn and understand each other’s culture.

Let’s talk about Arts
British Council also offers a number of art-related courses. From art, architecture and design to dance, drama, music, film and literature, it’s a great place to check out international artists or hone your own skills.

Science and Society
The British Council picks a few topics and focuses on them through the year. For example, in early 2008, the British Council initiated a search to select young 'climate change champions' from 13 countries. The main aim of the project was to form a team of youth ambassadors to spread awareness about the effects of climate change and how they could help mitigate effects in their immediate community.  

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