The history of teaching Polish language and literature in Debrecen dates back to more than fifty years ago, starting in 1974 at the Institute of Slavic Philology of Lajos Kossuth University of Arts and Sciences (the legal predecessor of the University of Debrecen).
“Polish Studies has been available as an elective minor since 2018. Currently, our program offers intensive language training (eight class units per week) and insights into Polish literature, history and culture to 12 students altogether. In addition, there are 10 more students improving their Polish language skills taking it as a compulsory second Slavic language in the Russian specialization of the Slavic Studies bachelor’s and master's degree or as an optional subject for other non-major students,” said Éva Fórián, a language teacher at the Institute of Slavic Studies to hirek.unideb.hu.
As an organizer of the Polish Day activities, she added that the range of courses offered would be constantly expanding and, as of 2023, students of the MA in Translation and Interpreting would also be able to study and work on their Polish at the university.
“Poland is an exciting example of traditions meeting modernity: it boasts a long and proud history, a vibrant cultural life and a dynamically developing economy. The Polish Day program, which has been hosted by the Slavic Institute for the third time since 2018, is a marvelous opportunity to bring Poland and the Polish language closer to everyone here, since learning a language is always the key to a more thorough understanding of culture and traditions,” said Jarosław Bajaczyk at the opening ceremony held in the inner courtyard of the Main Building of UD.
The director of the Polish Institute in Budapest highlighted that Poland would continue to offer great opportunities for students from all over the world, including those coming from the University of Debrecen.
On behalf of the co-organizer Polish Tourism Organization (Lengyel Idegenforgalmi Szervezet), Ms. Melinda Farkas, the head of its Budapest office and a former student and then a lecturer of Russian and Polish at the University of Debrecen, also welcomed the visitors, stressing that, without the studies she had completed here, she would not be able to do her current job and work on promoting Poland as extensively as possible.
Each one of the daylong activities inspired visitors to get to know Poland better. These included an exhibition of illustrations by Marianna Oklejak at Ferenc Kölcsey Reformed Primary School (Kölcsey Ferenc Református Gyakorló Általános Iskola), an exhibition of posters designed by students from Polish and Hungarian art schools in the main building of the university, a presentation on Polish pub culture by blogger Tibor Csanádi Ulu, a series of presentations on Polish cities and a fun country quiz combined with food tasting. The program of events was concluded with a film showing at the cinema called Apolló Mozi.
Press Centre – BZs
