This is my tribute to the International People's College.
International People's College is a worldwide respected institution for non-formal education for adults. IPC is based in the lovely Danish city of Helsingor, known as Elsinore from Shakespeare's "Hamlet".IPC was founded in 1921, after the World War I, when many progressive people advocated for peace and international collaboration. IPC promotes intercultural understanding and cooperation between the peoples from around the world. At IPC you can meet Africans, Europeans, Asians, Americans, and even Australians. The overall idea of IPC is that this unique meeting of people with different cultural and social backgrounds will create peace, tolerance, and friendship.
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| "Global week 2011" |
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| "At a Crossroads" |
About 200 students study at IPC every year. There are two terms: Spring term and Autumn term. During the summer the teachers are free to travel, to rest or to make research. IPC management uses the campus and the teaching rooms to organize short summer courses. This summer I attended two workshops: "At a crossroads" and "Art and Science Have Date in Nature". Each workshop took a week. The trainers, the atmosphere, the participants, and the food were fantastic!
"At a crossroads" was held from the 26th of June until the 2nd of July. Topics included: past and values study, decision-making, teamwork, conflict resolution. From my prefessional perspective, it was a very useful course.
"Art and Science Have Date in Nature" was held between the 3rd of July and the 7th of July. This workshop was part of a bigger event called "Global week 2011", which included several parallel workshops in the same time. In difference with "At a Crossroads", this wasn't a psychological workshop. I took it for my pleasure because I wanted to learn more about the connection between art and science (especially math).
Also I had the chance to establish relations with Lucie Cizkova, who is in charge with PR and Networking at IPC, as well with the IPC's principal Søren Launbjerg. I could see how highly functional as institution is IPC and how the personal growth of the students is set in the heart of the college's study program and teaching methods. See what subjects the students have right to choose: Global challenges line, US studies, African studies, European culture, Development management line, Journalism, Photography, Drama, Art & Video, Body, Mind and Spirit, Self-Expression through Arts, and many other... It is true that I am a longtime supporter of the LLL and everything related to non-formal education, also it is true that my own courses are totally under the philosophy of LLL, but in a matter of fact I didn't know how exactly it works on an organizational level. Now I know more.
"At a crossroads" was held from the 26th of June until the 2nd of July. Topics included: past and values study, decision-making, teamwork, conflict resolution. From my prefessional perspective, it was a very useful course.
"Art and Science Have Date in Nature" was held between the 3rd of July and the 7th of July. This workshop was part of a bigger event called "Global week 2011", which included several parallel workshops in the same time. In difference with "At a Crossroads", this wasn't a psychological workshop. I took it for my pleasure because I wanted to learn more about the connection between art and science (especially math).
Also I had the chance to establish relations with Lucie Cizkova, who is in charge with PR and Networking at IPC, as well with the IPC's principal Søren Launbjerg. I could see how highly functional as institution is IPC and how the personal growth of the students is set in the heart of the college's study program and teaching methods. See what subjects the students have right to choose: Global challenges line, US studies, African studies, European culture, Development management line, Journalism, Photography, Drama, Art & Video, Body, Mind and Spirit, Self-Expression through Arts, and many other... It is true that I am a longtime supporter of the LLL and everything related to non-formal education, also it is true that my own courses are totally under the philosophy of LLL, but in a matter of fact I didn't know how exactly it works on an organizational level. Now I know more.
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| The group from the workshop "Art and Science Have date in Nature" |
And now... Now I have a dream - to apply the Life-long Learning concept in Bulgaria. To go beyond what the formal educational institutions give. To support the growth of more creative, spontaneous, open-minded, free, and tolerant persons in our own society. I wish to see Bulgarians more happy, more optimistic, more curious, and able to think big. Here I see the role of The Garden Association as institution, dedicated to the non-formal education. In my bravest dreams I see The Garden as the Bulgarian equivalent of IPC. Well, you may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one...
