Kokusai Hiroba Café -Around the World- Vol.75「United Kingdom & Ukraine」

Date

14^th May 2023 (Sun)

14：00－15：30

Venue

Online (Zoom)

Organizer

Fukuoka International Exchange Foundation

Entry Fee

Free

Participants

70 people （including 7 supporters）　　　　　　  

Lecturers

Iryna Pavlenko（Ukraine）      Sophia Gwilt（United Kingdom）

◇Contents

14:00 ～14:03　Opening

14:03 ～15:03　Lecturers introduce Ukraine the United Kingdom

15:03 ～15:30  Question Time and Closing

　Introduction of Ukraine by Iryna Pavlenko：

Lecturer Iryna began by explaining how Ukraine is in the north-east of Europe, and it is bordered by 7 countries: to the north of it is Belarus, to the east is Russia, to the west are Poland, Hungary, and Slovakia, and to the south-west are Moldova and Romania. There are also two seas bordering Ukraine, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Azov. Of those, the Sea of Azov is known as the shallowest ocean in the world with a depth of around 14 meters. As for Ukraine’s national flag, the blue half represents clear blue skies without any clouds, whilst the yellow half represents the wheat fields which are the pride of Ukraine. Together, the two halves of the flag represent Ukraine’s prosperous agriculture, for which it is well known. Following this, Lecturer Iryna introduced her hometown, Zhitomir, and explained how it is well known for its dairy farming industry, producing many milk-based products. Not only that but in Zhitomir’s town of Marine, there is a factory where paper money is produced, which supplies countries all over Europe. There is also a nature reserve, Kamieniec Podolski, where there are numerous gigantic boulders which are tens of meters tall inside a forest which is 15 hectares large. Lecturer Iryna explained how it paints a beautiful natural scene, and showed photos.

In the north-western region of Rivne, a place known as the ‘tunnel of love’ can be found – a railroad through a forest, where trains only pass through a few times per day. Per the name, it is a popular place for lovers to visit.

Lecturer Iryna also introduced aspects of Ukraine’s culture. Borscht is a traditional Ukrainian food which is often made with beetroot, but there are actually over 70 varieties using various ingredients. She also wore traditional Ukranian wear whilst presenting, including a handmade headdress. Finally, Lecturer Iryna introduced Ukranian holidays and festivals, including how Christmas is celebrated in Ukraine. She played a video of the famous song ‘Shchedryk’, which is also known as ‘Carol of the Bells’ in English-speaking countries. Many people in the audience recognized the song and were interested to learn that it was composed by a Ukranian composer.

 Introduction of the United Kingdom by Sophia Gwilt：

Lecturer Sophia started off by explaining that the Japanese word for the United Kingdom is ‘igirisu’, which is thought to originate from the Portuguese word ‘inglês’, meaning ‘a person from England’. Nowadays, it refers to the whole of the United Kingdom, not just England.

The United Kingdom, officially known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, is made up of 4 places – England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

Lecturer Sophia introduced her home town of Bath, which has a population of just under 90,000 people, and is famous for its hot springs which have remained since the Roman period, aptly named the Roman Baths, which are also the origin of the city’s name. The original Roman Baths are now part of a museum and you cannot enter the water, but a new modern spa has been built nearby which uses the natural hot spring water. Another notable aspect of Bath is the Georgian architecture, such as the Royal Crescent, which is a row of houses built in a crescent shape.

Lecturer Sophia also introduced some facts about the different areas of the UK.

Northern Ireland, as per the name, is north of Ireland,  but is part of the UK. It has only existed for around 100 years, and therefore shares a lot of culture with both Ireland and England. Similarly to Ireland, the shamrock is often considered a symbol of Northern Ireland, and it is a place well known for its beautiful nature and historical castles.

In the northernmost part of the main island of the UK is Scotland, which the United Kingdom’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis, and its national animal is the unicorn. It is also home to Loch Ness, and it is said that the famous Nessie lives there. Not only that, but the inventor of the telephone, Alexander Graham Bell, was also born in Scotland.

As for England, it takes up more than half of the UK’s area, and its national flower is the red rose. Due to its large area, different parts of England have a very different culture. As well as this, an ancient Roman wall known as Hadrian’s Wall can be found in the north, while the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge can be found in the south.

Finally, Lecturer Sophia introduced Wales, which is also known for its beautiful nature and is home to Snowdonia National Park. She also read out a place name in Wales which is known as the second-longest place name in the world – Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch. The meaning of the name is ‘St Mary’s Church in the Hollow of the White Hazel Near to the Rapid Whirlpool of Llantysilio of the Red Cave’! Lecturer Sophia also explained that in Wales, most signs are written in both England and Welsh, as they are both official languages of Wales.