17.10.2003 00:00

Culture 2000: Regional Library in Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) is looking for co-organisers and partners

Project: European Legends for Children - ELFOC

The Main Organiser: Regional Library Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

Co-organizers: There will be at least 3-4 co-organizers. At the moment we are communicating with UK, Lithuania and Germany.

How long will the project last: It will be a one-year project.

1) Main activities within the project:
- translation of local legends of the participating countries, there will be about 10 stories per 3 pages
- publication of CD-ROM's with all the legends, pictures, photographs and factual information
- publication of CD's and MC's intended mainly for small children, children in children's home and for blind people
- presentation of the legends on websites of the libraries
- creation of a brochure containing information about the state and the city the organiser/partner is from
- interest groups for children and teenagers in the premises of the libraries; first there will be presented information about the states and regions, second there will be read the legends and finally the children will draw and paint pictures inspired by the stories. This will be evaluated and awarded.
- meeting of the partner countries' representatives. One will take place in Karlovy Vary and second will take place in another partner country.

2) Objectives of the Project:
The main objective of the project is an exchange of cultural, historical and tourist information through translation of particular local legends connected to the participating parties of the Culture 2000 Project.
The main idea is to support a cultural dialogue and to introduce history and culture of the regions to other European countries.
The project is focused on children and teenagers, and on socially disadvantaged people (i.e. children in children's home, blind people).
The objective of the project is to educate these groups primarily in the areas of mutual cultural learning, and to improve basic general, cultural and historical knowledge about the states and regions.

3) Where and when will the project take place? How will the partners contribute to the realisation of the project?
Organisations that are the most important within the project are libraries - there will be organised educational interest groups for children and teenagers. The children will be taught facts about the countries participating in the project and especially they will hear and read the local legends. The project will include an art competition. The legends will be also adapted for a colouring book for small children. The children from the interest group will draw and paint, being inspired by the legends. The legends will be also read in public in the libraries.
The particular countries will create a brochure containing information about the state, and mainly about the city the library is located in. These brochures will be translated and sent to other partner countries. This way the local and tourist information will be transmitted and spread.
An important objective of this project will be the translation of the legends of all the participating countries and creation of a CD ROM, a CD and an MC. They will be sent to the other countries and they will be exchanged for media from them.
Part of the copies and colouring books will be donated to children's homes - this way a socially disadvantaged group will be addressed. Music media will be given as present to organisations that cooperate with blind and weak-sighted people.
All the translated legends and information connected to the countries will be presented on websites of the libraries and intended for the general public.

Promotion of the project:
Description, characteristics and results of the project will be presented on the website, too. So not only the project will be promoted, but also the European Union and its financial contribution to culture within the grants.

4) What long-term results do we expect? What added value will the cooperation on the European level have?
The objective of our project is primarily transmission of historical and cultural information to children and general public of different regions of Europe. We believe that this project will contribute greatly to a mutual dialogue between European countries.
In following years we would like to realise this project again and cooperate with other and even more countries. If the project is realised successfully, an important kind of communication between European countries will be established.
The public will be well informed about culture and history of European countries. Interesting and attractive information will be revived - the legends and myth. Our project will initiate mutual cooperation that extends local interests, and knowing other nations.

5) To whom will the project be useful?
a) to states that will participate in the project for many important contacts and relations will be established. This will be important for future cooperation and cultural dialogue
b) as far as the history is concerned, many interesting legends and tales will be revived, published and disseminated
c) to children and teenagers - there will be a possibility to acquaint with the cultural heritage of other countries, with other interesting facts, that are essential for mutual acquaintance
d) to children in children's homes, who will get the translated legends on CD-ROM's and CD's/MC's + colouring books
e) to blind and weak-sighted, who will be surely grateful for the possibility to hear myths and legends of European countries
f) to all citizens - the whole public will be able to find the stories and information on websites
g) to cities - there will be realised transmission of cultural and historical facts about particular cities of the participating countries

Contact and information:
banzetova@knihovnakv.cz
koziskova@knihovnakv.cz
www.knihovnakv.cz

Information about the Project Culture 2000.
www.europa.eu.int/comm//culture/eac/how_particip2000/pract_info/appel_2004_en.html

Autor článku: redakce