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"The
Romans were the first to run a united Europe" is one of the first things you said in your recent TV
programme (Boris Johnson and the Dream of Rome -
which made interesting comparisons between the Roman Empire and the EU). These
three inspirational Classics teachers, one in France, one in Germany and in
the UK are carrying on where you left off and are providing the proof that there
are still some young people throughout the EU (despite certain Governments doing
all they can to kill off Latin in schools) who understand the importance of our
European Classical heritage and who want to celebrate it together. On
Saturday Malvern St James will be the UK host school for a joint competition
(common questions written by the three organisers see
below) and about 10 schools from across the country are sending 6th Form
pupils to take part. French and
German students will gather in their host schools in Paris and Berlin at the
same time, and all the centres will be linked by video-conferencing so they can
all see their fellow-Classicists. What
sort of motivation could there be for 6th Formers to want to give up the
Saturday of a Bank Holiday weekend to do what is essentially a two-part exam? The
answer is
that they are all keen to share their experiences (the joys and the sheer hard
slog) of studying the Roman world with others who are doing the same thing :
they want to celebrate our shared European Classical heritage and are all happy
to give up their own time to do this! (and
I am sure that the students like the idea of the prizes as well - but the
winners will certainly deserve something special for their commitment and
proficiency in a subject which demands both rigour and flair). |
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