Camino - path to better future
Universities from eight countries take part in the Camino project to mark the 20th anniversary of the accession of Poland and nine other countries to the European Union. Its programme lasts from 15 January 2024 until 15 January 2025.
The project involves: the University of Opole (Poland), Vilnius University (Lithuania), University of Tartu (Estonia), J. E. Purkyně University in Ústí nad Labem (Czech Republic), Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia), National University of Public Service (Hungary) and as the leading partner – University of Latvia (Latvia). It was also joined by the film studio Very Films from Latvia and King Danylo University (Ukraine) as an associated partner..
The first event, the photography contest 'Inspired by Europe', took place in mid-March and involved students from Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia, Cyprus and Malta, as well as resident students from Ukraine. The artwork depicted everyday life, values, hopes and dreams of young Europeans, and the prize was a trip to Brussels.
On 9 May, flash mobs were
organised in the participating countries. In Opole, group dances to the 'Ode to
Joy' took places in front of the Student Cultural Centre and the Collegium
Maius.
At the latter venue, also the EU anthem was sung by Ludmila Wocial's students from the State Music School in Opole.
In addition, the Rector of the UO Prof. Dr. habil. Marek Masnyk, the Mayor of the city Arkadiusz Wiśniewski and Peter Herr, the head of the Consulate of the Federal Republic of Germany in Opole, delivered speeches in front of the Collegium Maius. All three emphasized the international character of the event and the joy it provides.
The project started on 15 January and will last exactly one year. The plans for the next few months include a documentary film to be made in the countries of all the Camino partners. This European Union-funded project is aimed at young people, mainly students, although its target audience is all citizens of countries celebrating 20 years of the EU membership.
The Camino project at the UO is implemented by Prof. Dr Elżbieta Szymańska-Czaplak, (Dean of the Faculty of Philology), Prof. Dr habil. Stankomir Nicieja, (Faculty of Philology), and students: Zuzanna Notka (Faculty of Philology), Emilia Gonsior (Faculty of Philology), Hubert Pieczyński (Faculty of Philology) and Łukasz Łukasik (Faculty of Political Science and Social Communication).
The project's primary aim is to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the expansion of the European Union to include: Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, the Baltic States, Cyprus and Malta. It is also intended to show the impact of the EU membership on the culture and values of these countries and to strengthen the bonds between their peoples. The Camino project aims at showing different paths the countries had to follow to finally join the EU on May 01, 2004.
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