All-Ukrainian English lesson to encourage the citizens study foreign language within the “Year of English” in the country.
Kyiv, May 26, 2016. On Saturday, May 28, the largest English lesson starts at 1 p.m. Concurrent lessons will be held in 86 locations throughout Ukraine. 9,000 people are going to participate. The aim of the action is to set a new Guinness World Record for largest English lesson. This was stated by Katrina Self, Press, Education & Culture Section, U.S. Embassy to Ukraine, at a briefing at Ukraine Crisis Media Center.
According to Ms. Self, the largest locations are Sophia Square in Kyiv and the area in front of the Opera House in Lviv. However, Mustafa Nayyem, MP (faction “Petro Poroshenko Bloc”), founder of the NGO “GoGlobal”, noted that lessons will be also held in Kramatorsk, Severodonetsk and Mariupol. “I hope that on Saturday we will prove that we can actually unite. Because, in order to break this record, we all should go to the squares and venues in our cities at the same time,” he said.
According to Christie Anne Hofland, Director of America House Kyiv, one can find the lesson in Ukrainian and English on the website, if they want to prepare in advance. “The event is free. There will be contests and prizes for both children and adults: for the most creative costume, best a location, etc.,” she added. According to Ms. Hofland, there will be online broadcast from Lviv. Mr. Nayyem added that Geoffrey Pyatt, the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine, will moderate the event in Lviv. Inna Sovsun, Deputy Minister of Education of Ukraine, is expected to participate in Kyiv. Mr. Nayyem reminded that the previous record had been set in 2006 by the Germans. Then, 6,500 people had an English lesson at the same time.
“Over these six months we have trained 6,000 people in Kyiv. Now we want to teach people that you can learn English, and it is required. It is necessary for the Ukrainians, it is necessary for Ukraine, it is necessary for everyone,” considers Anna Rogovchenko, “Capital English” project.
You can register at the project website.