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Table of contents The Czech Republic .................................................... 3 Italy ............................................................................ 14 Poland ........................................................................ 28 Romania ..................................................................... 41 Turkey ........................................................................ 48

The Czech Republic

THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Interesting facts about the Czech Republic The Czech Republic is situated in central Europe. It has a population of about 10 million. We have 4 neighbours (Poland, Germany, Austria, and Slovakia). The Czech Republic is divided into three parts (Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia). The people who live there are called Czechs, Moravians, and Silesians. Different ethnic and national minorities like Slovaks, Poles, Romanies and some others live in our country. The capital of the Czech Republic is Prague. The highest mountains are the Krkonoše in Bohemia and the Jeseníky with beautiful forests in Moravia. The Oder flows into the Baltic Sea. The Elbe flows into the North Sea. The biggest river of Moravia is the Morava. The highest peak is Sněžka. There are many interesting places to visit. The sandstone rocks in Český Ráj are not very far from Mladá Boleslav (Skoda cars are made there). One of the deepest abysses is Macocha. There are famous spas (for example: Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně) in West Bohemia where the popular Pilsner beer is produced. Český Ráj

Karlovy Vary – a colonnade

1. Macocha 2. Sněžka 3. Prague 4. Karlovy Vary 5. Pilsen 6. Jeseníky 7. Mladá Boleslav 8. The Elbe 9. The Morava 10. The Oder

Famous spa Beautiful forests The highest peak Škoda cars An abyss in South Moravia The capital of the CR Beer The biggest river of Moravia North Sea Baltic Sea

Macocha

The Jeseníky Mountains

Solution: Czech Republic

H P Z U C E R L B I

Welcome U N I C O V

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

A building where Christians go to speak to God. A place that keeps money safe for people. A room in a building where you go to borrow or read a book. A place where you go to see a film. A place where doctors and nurses look after people who are ill or hurt. The path at the side of a road.

Solution: church, bank, library, cinema, hospital, pavement

Do you want to know whatÂ´s the name of our primary school? You can find it in this crossword: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

The study of numbers, measurements and shapes. (the fourth letter) A container or a cover for keeping something. (the second letter) A group of children or students who learn together. (the fourth letter) A thing that shows you the time. (the fifth letter) A thing that you read or write in, which has a lot of pieces of paper joined together inside a cover. (the second letter) 6. The study of the rights and duties of citizenship. (the third letter) 7. A person whose job is to teach. (the third letter)

M C C C B C T

A A L L O I E

T S A O O V A

H E S C K I C

S S K C H

S E

Solution: HASKOVA

Haskova - the name of our school. It is called after the street where it is situated. The street is called after one of the most famous Czech writers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jaroslav Hasek.

Some interesting facts about our history PRINCE WENCESLAS

- was murdered by his brother in Starรก Boleslav, - lived in the 10th century, - became the patron saint of our country.

Prince Wenceslas CHARLES IV

Charles IV

- ruled the country in the 14th century, - founded the university in Prague, - had four wives, - set up Karlovy Vary, a famous Czech spa, - Charles Bridge was built in Gothic style.

JAN HUS

- was a popular preacher in the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague, - was burned at the stake.

JAN ŽIŽKA

- won a lot of battles, - was a famous Hussite leader - lost an eye in a battle.

RUDOLF II

- a lot of alchemists tried to make gold for him, - loved art.

1620 - The battle of White Mountain

AFTER THE BATTLE

- 27 Czech noblemen were executed in front of the Town Hall in Prague

Czech coins Jan Amos Komensky

JAN AMOS KOMENSKÝ - was called the ‘Teacher of Nations‘ - had to leave his native country because he was not a Catholic 1918

- marked the end of World War I, - the Czechoslovak Republic was founded (an independent state).

TOMAS GARRIGUE MASARYK - became the first president of the Czechoslovak Republic.

Tomas

1989

G.Masaryk

- on November 17th the Velvet Revolution started

VACLAV HAVEL 1993

- became the first president of the Czech Republic, - he was a famous writer and dramatist.

Vaclav Havel

What can you see in nature of the CR? There is a lot to enjoy no matter where you live! We have lots of different kinds of trees in the Czech Republic. Two of the most common types are the pine and the spruce. They keep their needles all year round and are always green, because of that, they are called ´evergreen´. Other trees, such as oak, beech, birch or poplar lose their leaves in the autumn and grow new ones in the spring. Not all of our country is forested. People also like swimming or hiking in the mountains and hills. Animals native to our country include pheasants, deer, boars and rabbits. Most animals are afraid of people, but if you walk in the forest and you´re quiet, you might see some of them! Fill in the missing letters and you will find typical Czech trees and some wild animals:

n _ b _ _ _ _ e _ r b _ a _ _ _ u _ r _ _ l _ _ _ g _ _ _g _ o _ _ i n _ _ p _ u _ _ _ a _ b _ e c _ _ i _ c _ _ o p _ _ a _

_ r _ e

Solution: rabbit, deer, boar, squirrel, hedgehog, fox, pine, spruce, oak, beech, birch, poplar tree

Quiz about the Czech Republic

If you read our magazine carefully, you can answer these 15 questions, can´t you? Good luck.

1. What´s the capital city of the Czech Republic? 2. How many regions are there in the Czech Republic? 3. What is the highest mountain? 4. Where are Skoda cars made? 5. What is the most popular Czech beer? 6. Who ruled this country in the 14th century? 7. Who set up Karlovy Vary – a famous Czech spa? 8. What style was Charles Bridge built in? 9. Who was called the ´Teacher of Nations´? 10. When was the Czechoslovak Republic established? 11. Who was the first president of the Czechoslovak Republic? 12. When was the Czech Republic established? 13. Who was the first president of the Czech Republic? 14. Who was Jaroslav Hasek? 15. How many languages was Hasek´s book translated into?

Italy

ITALY

Istituto Comprensivo in Altavilla Milicia Sicily

The Sicilian Poet Ignazio Buttitta in a picture at the age of 87. He left us 11 years later. Ignazio Buttitta (19 September, 1899 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 5 April, 1997) was an Italian dialectal poet. He was born in Bagheria near Altavilla Milicia, Italy, from a poor family. After having taken part in World War I he joined the Italian Socialist Party and around this time started to write poetry in Sicilian. His first volume of poetry published was Sintimintali (Sentimental), followed in 1928 by Marabedda. Soon after, Buttitta relocated to Milan, where he achieved some success in the commercial world while continuing to pursue his passion for literature. Due to his political leanings, he had to leave Milan during World War II; after which he joined the Resistance, was jailed by the fascists, and narrowly avoided the death penalty, before returning to Milan, where he spent time with Sicilian intellectuals such as Elio Vittorini, Salvatore Quasimodo and Renato Guttuso. In 1954 he published his new book of poetry, Lu pani si chiama pani (The bread is called bread), financed by the Italian Communist Party. In this volume he defined himself as Pueta e latru (Poet and thief), an allusion to the manner in which he would pass among the people like a thief, appropriating their feelings, leaving behind a sentimental thread. This was especially the case in relation to his nostalgia for his homeland, but there are also more socially-oriented themes, in particular, protests against the social situation of Italy and Sicily, such as A stragi di Purtedda (1947, about Salvatore Giuliano and the Portella della Ginestra massacre), and Lamentu per la morte di Turiddu Carnevale (1956, about Salvatore Carnevale - a Sicilian trade unionist from Sciara who was killed by the Mafia on 16 May 1955 - and his mother Francesca Serio). In 1964 cantastorie and a folk singer-songwriter Otello Profazio set to music several Buttitta's poems in the album Il treno del sole (also known as Profazio Canta Buttitta). In 1972 Buttitta won the Viareggio Prize, for the volume Io faccio il poeta (I am a poet). His works have been translated into French, Russian and Greek.

Buttitta, during his career as a poet, has never hidden his pride in being Sicilian, and his love for the language of the island. In one of his most famous poems, Lingua e dialettu (Language and dialect), he explicitly talks about language as a key issue for his people, and implore his fellows Sicilians to preserve their language: Un populu diventa poviru e servu quannu ci arrubbanu a lingua addutata di patri: è persu pi sempri.

Person becomes poor and servile when their language is stolen from them inherited from their forefathers: it is lost forever.

A contemporary Berlin-based Sicilian folk singer, Etta Scollo, celebrates the work of Sicilian folk singer and Buttitta associate, Rosa Balistreri, including rendering a version of Buttitta's The Pirates of Palermo: Arrivaru li navi Tanti navi a Palermu Li pirati sbarcaru Cu li facci d’infernu

The ships arrive So many ships at Palermo The pirates come ashore With infernal faces

N’arrubbaru lu suli, lu suli Arristamu a lu scuru, chi scuru Sicilia chianci!

They steal from us the sun, the sun We are left in darkness what a darkness Sicily weeps!

Tuttu l’oru a l’aranci Li pirati arrubbaru Li campagni spugghiati Cu la negghia lassaru

All the gold of the oranges The pirates steal away Their rapacious campaigns In the fog they create

N’arrubbaru lu suli, lu suli Arristamu a lu scuru, chi scuru Sicilia chianci!

They steal from us the sun, the sun We are left in darkness what a darkness Sicily weeps!

Li culura dû mari N’arrubbaru chi dannu Su ‘mpazzuti li pisci Chi lamentu ca fannu

The colours of the sea They steal those from us, an outrage! The fish are so crazed As to lament their existence

N’arrubbaru lu suli, lu suli Arristamu a lu scuru, chi scuru Sicilia chianci!

They steal from us the sun, the sun We are left in darkness what a darkness Sicily weeps!

A li fìmmini nostri Ci scipparu di l’occhi La lustrura e lu focu Ca addumava li specchi

From our women's eyes They tear out The splendor and fire Which lit up mirrors

N’arrubbaru lu suli, lu suli Arristamu a lu scuru, chi scuru Sicilia chianci!

They steal from us the sun, the sun We are left in darkness what a darkness Sicily weeps!

A very famous Sicilian song Ciuri, ciuri (Flowers, flowers) Music by Francesco Paolo Frontini (Catania, August 6, 1860 – Catania, July 26, 1939), The text was written by the unknown author. The music for this ancient text was composed in 1883 by the Sicilian composer Francesco Paolo Frontini. There are different versions from the original text because it was changed during the past centuries.

Ciuri di ruvittari e spini santi, Siddu passannu cantari mi senti, Nun cantu n'e' p'amuri n'e' p'amanti Picchì mancu mi passi pi la menti.

Ciuri di gersuminu arrampicanti, Iu cantu e ridu e scialu allegramenti. Tutti li notti li passu ccà avanti Pi fariti dispetti eternamenti.

Ciuri, ciuri, ciuri di tuttu l'annu! L'amuri ca mi dasti ti lu tornu. Ciuri, ciuri, ciuri di tuttu l'annu! L'amuri ca mi dasti ti lu tornu.

Ciuri di rosi russi a lu sbucciari, Amaru l'omu ca fimmini criri. Amaru cu si fa supraniari, Lustru di Paradisu nun nni viri.

Lu sabatu si sapi allegra cori, Beatu cu avi bedda la mugghieri. Cu l'avi bedda ci veni lu cori, Cu l'avi laria lu friddu e la frevi.

Ciuri, ciuri, ciuri di tuttu l'annu! L'amuri ca mi dasti ti lu tornu. Ciuri, ciuri, ciuri di tuttu l'annu! L'amuri ca mi dasti ti lu tornu.

English Translation Flowers of blackberry and saint thorns, If you hear me singing when you go past, So I don't sing neither for love nor for beloved, Because it doesn't even cross my mind. Flowers, flowers, flowers year lasting Flowers! The love that you've given to me, I'll give it back to you. Flowers, flowers, flowers year lasting Flowers! The love that you've given me, I'll give it back to you. Flowers of red roses that are in blossom, Unlucky is that man who believes in women, Unlucky is that man who is under their influence, He will not see the light of Heaven. Flowers, flowers, flowers year lasting Flowers! The love that you've given to me, I'll give it back to you. Flowers, flowers, flowers year lasting Flowers! The love that you've given to me, I'll give it back to you. Flowers of climbing jasmine, I sing and laugh and I have fun. Every night I'm passing by To annoy you all the time. Flowers, flowers, Flowers year lasting flowers! The love that you've given to me, I'll give it back to you. Flowers, flowers, flowers year lasting Flowers! The love that you've given to me, I'll give it back to you. Saturday the heart has fun, Blissful is that man who has a nice wife, Who has a beautiful one, has joy in heart, Who has an ugly one, has the cold and shiver. Flowers, flowers, flowers year lasting flowers! The love that you've given to me, I'll give it back to you. Flowers, flowers, flowers year lasting Flowers! The love that you've given to me, I'll give it back to you.

Francesco Paolo Frontini Francesco Paolo Frontini (Catania, August 6, 1860 – Catania, July 26, 1939) was an Italian composer. He studied music with his father, composer Martino Frontini. Palermo's Vucciria Market seen through the eyes of Renato Guttuso

‘La Vucciria', (1974) oil on canvas by Renato Guttuso, currently in Palazzo ChiaramonteSteri, University of Palermo. Renato Guttuso’s most famous “palermitano” painting is a representation of Palermo's lively market, “La Vucciria”. The Vucciria market was one of Guttuso’s first discoveries when the Bagheria-born painter moved to Palermo as a student in the early 1930s.His - huge (300 x 300 cm) - painting of the market however was not done until 1974, when he was living in Varese, Lombardy. In order to paint the food from life, it seems Guttuso had some ingredients shipped to him by air from Palermo and that he asked a local butcher to loan him a side of beef to be able to draw it and include it in the painting. With raw and bloody realism, he expressed in the painting one of the many spirits of the Sicilian capital. The bustle of daily contrasts with dark elements, such as the quartered half-ox hanging from a hook. The liveliness of the market is rendered by the explosion of different colors: the reds of the meat and tomatoes, the greens of the vegetables, the yellows of the cheese and lemons, the pink of the swordfish and cold cuts, the silver of the fish.

Renato Guttuso â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the most famous Sicilian painter Renato Guttuso (1912 -1987) was born in Bagheria, near Altavilla Milicia. Guttuso abandoned law studies in 1931 and devoted himself to painting. In 1937-38 he painted the 'Flight from Etna', his first large realist composition of contemporary Italian life. Guttuso was active in the struggle against the Fascists and Nazis. In 1946 he formed the group Fronte Nuovo delle Arti (among them Birolli, Vedova, Morlotti, Turcato etc.). Many of Guttuso's works have been inspired by the poverty and struggles of the Sicilian peasantry.

The Renato Guttuso Museum in Bagheria near Altavilla Milicia is hosted at Villa Cattolica. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a late Sicilian Baroque building dating 1736. Self - portrait by Renato Guttuso

. 21

Sicily Sulfur Mines

“La Zolfara” is a striking painting by Sicilian artist Renato Guttuso. Created in 1953, it captures the inside of a sulfur mine and the men and children who worked in it. The history of the sulfur mining industry, one active since ancient times and very profitable for the owners, is dark. Sulfur mines were cruel places. For six days a week, often 12 hours a day, the terribly paid men and boys toiled. Temperatures in the underground, narrow tunnels hovered around 45 C/113 F with very high humidity. As a result, the miners worked naked, with perhaps only a small apron covering their genitals. Boys, known as carusi, were employed because their size enabled them to move through the narrow shafts more easily. As John Keahey describes in his book, Seeking Sicily, the boys were “essentially ‘sold’ by their families to adult miners who used them to haul to the surface the rock the men busted out of the mine walls with their picks and sledgehammers. These miners had complete control over the boys’ lives … they could beat the youngsters if they didn’t work fast enough, work them long hours, and, if they wanted, even sexually abuse them.” A caruso could start this service as early as age 6, and often would become deformed and sickly because of the abuse to their frail, growing bodies as result of constantly crawling and bending as well as working in darkness for long periods. There are no bones about it: their tenure was a form slavery that lasted 8-10 years, if they survived that long. And most, after fulfilling the contract continued to work in the mines because they knew nothing else. This child labor practice, although illegal in Italy since the 1860s, went on at least until the 1920s, and some say, through to WWII, when the Americans put a stop to it once and for all.

Peace Dove

April 25 is Liberation Day in Italy. Liberation Day celebrates the 1945 fall of Mussolini’s fascist Italian Social Republic and the end of the Nazi occupation of Italy in World War II. This oil on canvas painting is by Sicilian, 20th century artist Renato Guttuso (1912-1987). “Medlar Leaves and Dove, ” or “Foglie di nespolo e colomba, ” was painted in 1981. Guttuso’s Captured Humanity Sicilian artist Renato Guttuso (1912-1987) portrayed images of humanity in action. This 1953 painting, “Donne di zolfatari” or “Women of the Sulfur Minors,” captures the anguish and urgency women felt as their husbands and sons worked in the dangerous and arduous mining industry of Caltanisetta and Girgenti. Guttuso, who was from Bagheria, conveyed social issues with mastery.

“The Sulphur Miners” This 1949 watercolor by Renato Guttuso (1912-1987) is an example of the Bagherese painter’s exploration Sicilians’daily life and struggles.

The Sicilian Marionette Theatre (Opera dei Pupi) It is a typical marionette theatrical representation in which the marionettes controlled by the puppeteers represent the feats of the greatest medieval heroes who fought for the Christians against the Saracens (Moors). In particular the most recurring event is the clash between the French Paladins and the Muslim warriors who occupied the Iberian Peninsula and became a threat for the Kingdom and for the entire Christian Europe. According to tradition, the chivalrous marionette theatre was already known in Spain in the 16th century, introduced to France in the 17th century and spread to Italy at the beginning of the 18th century. In Sicily it rapidly acquired specific features that soon distinguished the Sicilian marionette theatre from general marionette representations. 24

The Sicilian marionettes were in fact dressed with elaborate metal armours and the right hand directional string was replaced by a metal rod, more suitable for the marionette to make direct and precise movements especially during battles and duels. Important codes of conduct are transmitted by the “Opera dei Pupi” dating back to ancient Sicilian origins, codes of chivalry, the sense of honour, the struggle for justice and faith. The most celebrated character of the “Opera” is Orlando (Roland), a strong and loyal knight, adorned with a red suit, he holds the Durendal, a peculiar curved sword, and is protected by his shield and a helmet with a crest portraying an eagle. Rinaldo represents the cunning man. Much loved by the public for his generosity, more elegant than the cousin Roland, with a green suit and a crest portraying a lion. Angelica, the most famous female character of the “Opera dei Pupi”, a pagan princess, appears at the French Courts to cause disorder due to her beauty and to her intriguing and provocative temperament; even Roland and Rinaldo challenged each other for her sake. To attend a show of the Pupi means to attend to specific events as the Councils and the Battles. The first are meetings of various characters and may have a private or solemn nature. They consist of some standard elements as the opening and closing. The solemn ones present the entrance of the various warriors and then of the King or the Commander who announces the battle that is to be engaged. The Battles have the merit to captivate the public and they certainly represent the heart of the “Opera dei Pupi”. They include, at the crucial point, the death of some characters. While the death of secondary characters is a very frequent event and they die in a reasonable number, the death of the main hero, either good or bad, is always an exceptional event in the show. The “Opera dei Pupi” still amazes us all with the magnificence of the armours, the brightness of the costumes and of the plumes, the graceful movements and the variety of plots of the fabulous chivalrous and non chivalrous stories; the taste for great show, strong emotions, popular romanticism that these marionettes are still able to give us.

Angeli 25

Puppet crossword 1 2 M E T A L 3 C O U N C 4

5 A N G E L 6 M A R

P A I

I N

C A

O N E T T E S

8 S E C O N D A R Y I

L E S

DOWN 1 7 9 10

With which warriors did the French paladins clash? Where did the marionette theatre acquire specific features? What is the name of the most celebrated character of the “Opera”? Which events are considered the heart of the “Opera”?

ACROSS 2 The rod used to move the Sicilian marionettes was made of what material? 3 What is the event in which the various characters have meetings? 4 In which country was the chivalrous theatre first known around the 16th century? 5 What is the name of the most famous female character of the “Opera”? 6 What do the puppeteers control in the typical Sicilian theatre (Opera dei pupi)? 8 Death is a frequent event for which characters?

Solution

M 8

L E S

Poland

POLAND

General information Poland is the largest of the East European countries which joined the EU in May 2004. Poland is similar in size to Italy or Germany. The population of it is approximately 39 million. It is a democratic country with a fascinating history, great culture and very interesting customs and traditions. A lot of Polish cities and areas are really worth seeing them, e.g.: Cracow, Warsaw, Gdańsk, Częstochowa, so as the Tatra Mountains and Bieszczady. Poland gained its independence in 1918 only to be overrun by Germany and the Soviet Union in World War II. It became a Soviet satellite state following the war, but one that was comparatively tolerant and progressive. In 1980 "Solidarity" appeared in Poland which helped to overcome total independence from Russia in 1989.

Polish customs and traditions Poles are fun lovers who enjoy festivities, traditions and centuries-old Polish customs. The most ancient rituals, especially those dating back to pagan times, have lost their magical character, becoming a colourful vestige of the past and a form of amusement. These are some of them. Saint Andrew Day Rituals – 29th November November 29th – the Eve of St. Andrew’s Day (Andrzejki) is just before the full moon. This is a special time for young Polish girls who want to find a husband. On this night and 29

the next day, fortunes are told and the results are not taken lightly. Girls melt candle wax and want to see their future in it. Saint Nicholas Day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6th December On this day children in Poland usually get small presents because the real Santa Claus comes to their houses on 24th December. Christmas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; celebrated between 24th - 26th December Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are important days that are celebrated in many Polish homes. Christmas preparations begin days before December 25th. Houses and flats are cleaned and adorned with decorations, including a Christmas tree. Traditionally, Christmas trees are decorated with candles or lights, ornaments made of glass and wrapped treats on the 24th December. Special dinner consisting of traditional Polish dishes is prepared and eaten on Christmas Eve. Dishes include red borscht or mushroom soup, a Christmas Eve carp, sour cream herrings or herrings in olive oil, cabbage and mushroom dumplings, cabbage and peas, braised sauerkraut, noodles with poppy seeds and sweetmeats, dried fruit compote, poppy seed rolled cake, gingerbread, sweet millets and bread. Each family prepares an extra seat for an unexpected guest. It is also customary to share a Christmas wafer with the guests. It is made of flour and water and there are some holy pictures on it. Many people attend a special church mass at midnight between 24th and 25th December. Many Christians in Poland start to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Eve. It is also known as the Vigil of Christmas and is perceived as the culmination of the Advent season. There are a number of traditional superstitious beliefs about the Christmas period. For example, it is believed that sheaves of wheat and rye, hay or straw under a tablecloth will bring good crops or fortune. This practice is also a reminder of the modest environment in which Jesus was born in. It is also said that animals can talk with people at midnight during Christmas Eve. Easter Easter in Poland is celebrated according to the Western Roman Catholic calendar. Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon of spring. Rites and practices are therefore marked by Christianity, but still remain strongly influenced by pagan traditions. It is usual for both modern and conservative families to partake in the celebrations, regardless of what their religious beliefs may be. Women carry hand-made 'palms' which should be blessed in church on Palm Sunday. The first sign of approaching Easter in Poland is a large number of branches and dried flowers being brought to church. One week before Easter, Palm Sunday (in Polish Niedziela 30

Palmowa) takes place. According to Catholic tradition, the day marks the entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem. Since palm trees are rare in Poland churchgoers often bring pussy willows or 'palms' made of colourful woven dried branches. The Holy Week preceding Easter involves spring cleaning. In the countryside, people would use the occasion to repaint their barns. Religious fasts are sometimes observed in varying degrees of strictness. Families visit representations of the tomb of Christ, often decorated in a spectacular fashion for the occasion.

On Saturday before Easter Sunday, Poles paint hard-boiled eggs. Some use store-brought kits which make the colouring and decorating easier, others continue to make dyes the traditional way - with boiled onion skins. Egg painting is encountered in several other Slavic cultures, and is thought to date back to talismanic pagan rituals that are over 5000 years old. Kraszanki are the hard boiled eggs coloured in one colour Pisanki are the hard boiled eggs coloured and decorated with wax patterns. They can also be made by using a special tool to scratch motives on them.

Another Saturday activity is the preparation of Easter baskets. Lined with a white linen or lace napkin and decorated with sprigs of boxwood (bukszpan), the baskets contain a sampling of Easter foods: pisanki, a piece of sausage or ham, salt and pepper, bread, a piece of cake and an Easter Lamb made of sugar. They are brought to church to be blessed. 31

On the most important day, Easter Sunday, some go to church at 6 a.m. for the Resurrection mass – a ceremonial service and procession. Homes come alive with families who gather to eat breakfast. Before the meal, in much the same way as for Christmas with the sharing of the opłatek (Christmas wafer), people share wedges of the blessed Easter eggs from the basket. They exchange wishes by sharing blessed eggs. The breakfast is dominated by cold dishes and is a feast for meat lovers: ham, sausage, roast meats, pâté (pasztet), eggs, horseradish relish, and bread. A special soup called żurek is prepared for dinner. It can be served on a plate or in small loaves of bread. Some traditional Easter cakes are baked. One of them is called babka. Babka is a Polish word for grandmother. The loaf is baked in a Bundt pan so that, when it's served, it looks like a grandmother's wide, fluted skirt.

The other traditional Easter cake is called mazurek. It’s a cake with a fat layer of icing, decorated with dried fruit, walnuts, almonds, roasted seeds.

The last day of Easter is called Wet Monday (śmigus-dyngus in Polish) is also known as Easter Monday or Lany Poniedziałek and is a holiday in Poland. It is celebrated on the first Monday after Easter. Traditionally, the boys need to pour water over girls, and they also need to spank them with pussy willow branches. It is believed that the girl that is the wettest or the one that received the biggest amount of water has more chances to get married. The origins of this celebration are uncertain, but it is believed that it started before the XIV century. Many people assume that this celebration has its origin. In the pagan mythology it may be Slavic goddesses of fertility. The tradition of watering the Corn Mother, who made crops grow and was represented in the form of a doll or wreath made from corn. Wet Monday is a commemoration of the birth of Christianity in Poland, when Holy Baptism was administered to the Prince Mieszko on Easter Monday. This act united all of Poland under the banner of Christianity.

Public holidays 1. New Year Day, January 1st - the first day of every year Poles start with a toast in some sparkling wine. 2. Epiphany, January 6th - this Christian festival is called Święto Trzech Króli in Poland. 3. Easter - the two-days public holiday, known in Poland as Wielkanoc, includes Easter Sunday and the following Monday. 4. Labour Day, May 1st - the public holiday called Święto Pracy is mostly an occasion for enjoying varied open-air activities, weather permitting. 5. Constitution Day, May 3rd - the public holiday called Święto Konstytucji, Poland's timehonoured patriotic festival, commemorates the nation's first (and the world's second ever) written constitution, passed by the country's parliament on May 3rd, 1791. 6. Whit Sunday - in Poland known as Zielone Świątki and officially as Święto Zesłania Ducha Świętego, is basically a religious festival. 7. Corpus Christi - the Catholic feast day called Boże Ciało in Polish is considered here the third most important church festival after Easter and Christmas. 8. Assumption Day, August 15th - the Polish Święto Wniebowzięcia, a major Catholic festival, coincides with Poland's official Armed Forces Day. 9. All Saints Day, November 1st - on Dzień Wszystkich Świętych all Poles visit cemeteries to light memorial candles on the graves of the deceased family members. 10. Independence Day, November 11th - Święto Niepodległości is another major patriotic festival and a remembrance day honouring people who fought for the independence of Poland. 11.Christmas - known as Boże Narodzenie is the most popular Christian feast is December 25th though actually it starts in the late afternoon of Christmas Eve, December 24th. Also Boxing Day is a public holiday in Poland and the festive season goes on till February 2nd, workdays and weekends.

Polish dances Kujawiak is a Polish folk dance from the region of Kujawy in central Poland. It is one of the five national dances of Poland, the others being the Krakowiak, Mazurka, Oberek and Polonaise. The music is in triple meter and fairly slow. The dance usually involves couples walking gracefully in a quarter-note rhythm, on slightly bended knees, with relaxed turns and gently swaying. Women's Kujawiak dances are also performed. The first reference to a Kujawiak appeared in 1827. Folk names for the dance include 'sleepy' and 'lulling'. Composers who have written for this dance include Henryk Wieniawski. It is often lyrical and calm (supposedly representing the Kujawy landscape), and usually in a minor key.

Krakowiak is a fast, syncopated Polish dance in duple time from the region of Kraków and Little Poland. It became a popular ballroom dance in Vienna ("Krakauer") and Paris ("Cracovienne") where, with the Polonaise and the Mazurka, it signalled a Romantic sensibility of sympathy towards a picturesque, distant, and oppressed nation. The first printed Krakowiak appeared in Franciszek Mirecki's album for the piano, "Krakowiaks Offered to the Women of Poland" (Warsaw, 1816). Frédéric Chopin produced a bravura concert Krakowiak in his Grand Rondeau de Concert, Rondo à la Krakowiak in F major for piano and orchestra (Op. 14, 1828). The last movement of his first piano concerto also draws heavily on the dance. In terms of its choreography, the Krakowiak is set for several couples, among whom the leading male dancer sings and indicates the steps. According to the description in the New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, the Krakowiak is directed by the leading man from the first pair. As they approach the band, "the man, tapping his heels or dancing a few steps, sings a melody from an established repertory with newly improvised words addressed to his partner. The band follows the melody, and the couples move off in file and form a circle (with the leading couple back at the band). Thereafter verses are sung and played in alternation, the couples circulating during the played verses.

Polonaise is a dance of Polish origin, in 3/4 time. Polonaise is a widespread dance in carnival parties. Polonaise is always a first dance at a studniówka ("hundred-days"), the Polish equivalent of the senior prom that occurs approximately 100 days before mature exams. The notation alla polacca (Italian: polacca means "polonaise") on a musical score indicates that the piece should be played with the rhythm and character of a polonaise. Frédéric Chopin's polonaises are generally the best known of all polonaises in classical music. Polonaise is a Polish dance and is one of the five historic national dances of Poland. The others are the Mazurka (Mazur), Kujawiak, Krakowiak and Oberek, last three being old folk dances. Polonaise originated as a peasant dance known under various names – chodzony ("pacer"), chmielowy ("hops"), pieszy ("walker") or wielki ("great"), recorded as early as the 15th century. In later centuries it gained popularity among the nobility and townspeople. Oberek, also called obertas or ober, is a lively Polish dance. The name "Oberek" is derived from "obracać się" which in Polish means "to spin". It consists of many dance lifts and jumps. It is performed at a much quicker pace than the Polish waltz and is one of the national dances of Poland. This is the second-most popular dance in PolishAmerican music, after the polka. The Oberek, in its 34

original form, is a Polish folk dance and is the fastest of the Five National Dances of Poland. The Five National Dances are: Polonez (Polonaise), Mazur (Mazurka), Kujawiak, Krakowiak and Oberek. The Oberek consists of quick steps and constant turns. The beauty of the oberek depends on each individual dancer's talent of spinning at the fast tempo of the Oberek, which shares some steps with the Mazur. The "Polish-American Oberek" is a social dance, originally brought to America by Polish immigrants in late 1800s and early 1900s. This social dance derives from the folk dance oberek; however, the steps are slightly altered and the music is slightly different. Obereks are played by Polka bands throughout the United States. Trojak is a Silesian folk dance. It is a double partner dance and performed in groups of three: one male dancer and two female dancers. The music of the dance has two parts: a slow one in 3/4 metre and a fast one in 2/4 metre. These parts are repeated several times, one after another. Ignoring the footwork, the figures may have the following arrangements: - All three move in sync from the same foot. - The boy dances with one girl, the second one dancing alone, then the boy switches the girl. - Girls are rolling on and then rolling off the arms. - The trio forms a circle - The boy and the girls separate and move in the opposite directions then join again.

Polish dishes Potatoes pancakes - thin pancakes made with wheat flour, grated potatoes, onion, salt, pepper and eggs. Delicious served hot either sprinkled with sugar or dolloped with sour cream.

Grilled oscypek with cranberry sauce - oscypek is a smoked cheese made of salted sheep milk that's found exclusively in the Tatra Mountains region of Poland.

Hunterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stew - is a traditional meat stew that contains white cabbage, sauerkraut (kapusta kiszona), various cuts of meat and sausages, often whole or purĂŠed tomatoes, honey and mushrooms, and is served with rye bread or mashed potatoes.

Gołąbki (little peagons) – it’s a cabbage stuffed with meat and rice. According to Polish myth, the King of Poland Casimir IV Jagiello fed his army with gołąbki before a key battle of the Thirteen Years' War. Victory stemmed from the strength of the hearty meal.

Breaded pork cutlet - a Polish variety of pork breaded cutlet dates back to the 19th century. It's coated with breadcrumbs which are similar to the Viennese schnitzel but made of pork tenderloin (with the bone or without), or with pork chop.

Hooves dumplings – is a kind of delicious Polish dumplings characterized by a delicate taste and softness. Kopytka are served as a separate dish with pork scratching, fried onion, or as a side-dish for sauces (e.g. Polish goulash). Silesian dumplings - are a special kind of potato dumplings. Silesian dumplings are characterized by their great softness and a delicate flavour. When well prepared, this Polish food almost melts in a mouth. Kluski śląskie are made from cooked potatoes and starch, and have the shape of a flattened ball with a characteristic hollow in the centre. Kluski śląskie are eaten with meat sauces If you want to know more about Polish menu visit this webpage: http://www.staypoland.com/poland-food.htm

Five places in Poland which are on the UNESCO World Heritage List 1. Cracow’s Historic Center The 13th-century merchants' town has Europe's largest market place and numerous historical houses, palaces, fortifications and churches. The Renaissance Royal Castle and the Gothic cathedral on the Wawel Hill are the places where the kings of Poland were buried. In 2013, the Main Market Square’s in Cracow with Sukiennice was proclaimed to be the most beautiful square in the world by the Lonely Planet guide. The daily trumpet call is played from the tower of the church. In our 36

Erasmus+ “Storybook” you can find a legend about the Trumpeter from Cracow. In 1978, the historic centre of Krakow was the first site from Poland to be inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. 2. Royal Salt Mine in Wieliczka and Bochnia Wieliczka is the oldest (from the 13th century) operating salt mine in the world. It encompasses 9 levels, 2040 chambers and 360 km of galleries that form a mysterious labyrinth. Unique altars, statues and entire underground chapels with reliefs and chandeliers sculpted in salt. Especially renowned for its beauty is St Kinga’s (Cunegunda) Chapel, which size - 54 metres long, 18 metres wide, 12 metres high – has earned a nickname “the underground salt church.” There are also a post office, a restaurant, a cinema, a tennis court and spa which offers allergy and asthma treatment. All these things are underground. You can also have some fun taking part in concerts or theatre performances. You will find the world’s deepest lying (125 m) hotel and a playground for children, too. Bosnia was opened in the 13th century under the reign of Duke Bolesław the Chaste and his wife Kinga, (40 years before the mine in Wieliczka). Today it is not active any more 3. The Old City of Zamość Zamość was founded in the 16th century by Chancellor Jan Zamoysky on the trade route linking western and northern Europe with the Black Sea. Zamość was modelled on the Italian theories of the 'ideal city' according to the plan of architect Bernando Morando, a native of Padua. The town’s layout was supposed to resemble the human body. The Zamoyski Palace was its head, while its backbone was Grodzka Street, an intersecting Great Market Square from east to west. The side streets, such as Solna or Moranda, were meant to be the arms. Zamość is called “a pearl of the Renaissance”. The Town Hall is its symbol. It is crowned with an attic with a fan-shaped double stairway and a tall clock tower, from which a bugle call is played at noon.

4. Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork The castle is considered to be the world’s largest brick buildings made by mankind. The Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork was built at the turn of the 14th century and is the largest Gothic fortress in Europe. It consists of three castles and occupies 20 hectares. From 1309, it performed as the seat of the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order. The oldest section of the Malbork stronghold is called the High Castle. It was erected in the 13th century as a regular four-wing defence fortress. It also served several other important purposes, including being a monastery. 5. Medieval Town of Toruń Toruń was founded by the Teutonic Order, in the 13th century. A Gothic town hall built in the late 14th century is the centerpiece of Toruń’s old town. It is one of the biggest brick buildings of its kind in Europe. One of the medieval tenements from the second half of the 15th century houses is the one in which Nicolaus Copernicus lived. He was an astronomer who proved that the Earth does not sit at the centre of the universe, but rather orbits the Sun along with other planets. Toruń’s medieval city walls are the oldest in Poland. A three-kilometre long section of the city walls had 54 towers, 12 gates and two barbicans proper. An attractive walking route is also Podmurna Street which is the longest medieval street in Toruń. This cobbled road is full of charming nooks and historic monuments. The street begins near the moat and the Burgher House, and weaves its way next to an historic granary, the Feline Head tower, and the Mint Gate. Its 15-metre-high Leaning Tower which was constructed at the turn of the 14th century is inclined like the famous Tower of Pisa.

Let’s have some fun 1. What do you know about Polish Nobel Prizes? Try to find all the words by searching for the answers in encyclopaedias or use the Internet. The letters from the numbered fields will create the password. Across: - How many Polish people received the Nobel Prize? - How many Polish people received the Nobel Prize in Literature? - Write the name of the first Polish woman who was awarded the Nobel Prize twice. - The title of the internationally Henryk Sienkiewicz's bestseller (write the title without any spaces). Down: - Complete the title of Wisława Szymborska's poem: "Some ... poetry" - A scientific branch in which Maria Curie-Skłodowska-Curie got the Nobel Prize in 1903? - What name did Maria Curie-Skłodowska give to the first chemical element that she had discovered? 1

3 4

2. Read all of the texts from the Polish part of our Erasmus+ “The World live in” magazine and answer the questions. The number of lines is equal to the number of letters in each word.

1. What’s the Polish name of the sweet dish made of poppy seeds and sweetmeat?

________ 2. What do people bring to churches one week before Easter (plural)?

_____ 3. What do Polish girls use to predict their future during St. Andrew’s Night?

___ 4. How do we call the hard boiled eggs coloured and decorated with wax patterns?

_______ 5. What is the name of the first dance at a studniówka ("hundred-days"), the Polish equivalent

of the senior prom that occurs approximately 100 days before mature exams?

_______

Correct answers: 1. Across: six, four, Maria, Quovadis; Down: like, physics, polonium 2. 1.Makiełki, 2.2. Palms, 2.3. Wax, 2.4. Pisanki, 2.5. Polonez

Romania

Flag

Coat of arms

Romania is a sovereign state located in South-eastern Europe. It borders the Black Sea, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Hungary, Serbia, and Moldova. It has an area of 238,391 square kilometres (92,043 sq mi) and a temperate-continental climate. With over 19 million inhabitants, the country is the seventh-most-populous member state of the European Union. Its capital and largest city, Bucharest, is the sixth-largest city in the EU, with 1,883,425 inhabitants as of 2011. The River Danube, Europe's second-longest river, rises in Germany and flows in a general southeast direction for 2,857 km, coursing through ten countries before emptying into Romania's Danube Delta. The Carpathian Mountains, which cross Romania from the north to the southwest, include Moldoveanu, at 2,544 m (8,346 ft).

Modern Romania was formed in 1859 through a personal union of the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. The new state, officially named Romania since 1866, gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1877. At the end of World War I, Transylvania, Bukovina and Bassarabia united with the sovereign Kingdom of Romania. During World War II, Romania was an ally of Nazi Germany against the Soviet Union, fighting side by side with the Wehrmacht until 1944, when it joined the Allied powers and faced occupation by the Red Army forces. Romania lost several territories, of which Northern Transylvania was regained after the war. Following the war, Romania became a socialist republic and member of the Warsaw Pact. After the 1989 Revolution, Romania began a transition towards democracy and a capitalist market economy. The cultural history of Romania is often referred to when dealing with influential artists, musicians, inventors and sportspeople.

Culture The topic of the origin of the Romanians began to be discussed by the end of the 18th century among the Transylvanian School scholars.[286] Several writers rose to prominence in the 19thcentury,including George Coșbuc, Ioan Slavici, Mihail Kogălniceanu, Vasile Alecsandri, Nicolae Bălcescu, Ion Luca Caragiale, Ion Creangă, and Mihai Eminescu, the later being considered the greatest and most influential Romanian poet,particularly for the poem Luceafărul. In the 20th century, Romanian artists reached international acclaim, including Tristan Tzara, Marcel Janco, Mircea Eliade, Nicolae Grigorescu, Marin Preda, Liviu Rebreanu, Eugène Ionesco, Emil Cioran, and Constantin Brâncuși. The latter has a sculptural ensemble in Târgu Jiu, while his sculpture Bird in Space, was auctioned in 2005 for $27.5 million. Romanian-born Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986, while writer Herta Müller received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2009.

Eminescu, national poet

Brancusi’s works

Proeminent Romanian painters include Nicolae Grigorescu, Ștefan Luchian, Ion Andreescu, Nicolae Tonitza and Theodor Aman. Notable Romanian classical composers of the 19th and 20th centuries include Ciprian Porumbescu, Anton Pann, Eduard Caudella, Mihail Jora, Dinu Lipatti and especially George Enescu. The annual George Enescu Festival is held in Bucharest in honor of the 20th century emponymous composer.Contemporary musicians like Angela Gheorghiu, Gheorghe Zamfir, Inna, Alexandra Stan and many others have achieved various levels of international acclaim. At the Eurovision Song Contest Romanian singers have achieved third place in 2005 and 2010.

Car cu boi by N. Grigorescu

George Enescu

Sibiu was the European Capital of Culture in 2007.

In cinema, several movies of the Romanian New Wave have achieved international acclaim. At the Cannes Film Festival, 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days by Cristian Mungiu won Palme d'Or in 2007. At the Berlin International Film Festival, Child's Pose by Călin Peter Netzer won the Golden Bear in 2013. The list of World Heritage Sites includes six cultural sites located within Romania, including eight Painted churches of northern Moldavia, eight Wooden Churches of Maramureș, seven Villages with fortified churches in Transylvania, the Horezu Monastery, and the Historic Centre of Sighișoara. The city of Sibiu, with its Brukenthal National Museum, was selected as the 2007 European Capital of Culture. Multiple castles exist in Romania, including popular tourist attractions of Peleș Castle, Corvin Castle.

Holidays, traditions and cuisine There are 14 non-working public holidays, including the Great Union Day, celebrated on 1 December in commemoration of the 1918 union of Transylvania with Romania. Winter holidays include the Christmas festivities and the New Year during which, various unique 44

folklore dances and games are common: plugușorul, sorcova, ursul, and capra. The traditional Romanian dress that otherwise has largely fallen out of use during the 20th century, is a popular ceremonial vestment worn on these festivities, especially in the rural areas. Sacrifices of live pigs during Christmas and lambs during Easter has required a special derogation from EU law after 2007. During Easter, painted eggs are very common, while on 1 March features mărțișor gifting, a tradition likely of Thracian origin.

Traditional Romanian costume

Traditionally painted Easter eggs

Mărțișor

Children singing the Star Carol

Romanian cuisine Romanian cuisine shares some similarities with other Balkan cuisines such as Greek, Bulgarian and Turkish cuisine. Ciorbă includes a wide range of sour soups, while mititei, mămăligă (similar to polenta) and sarmale are featured commonly in main courses. Pork, chicken and beef are the preferred meats, but lamb and fish are also popular. Certain traditional recipes are made in direct connection with the holidays: chiftele, tobă and tochitura at Christmas; drob, pască and cozonac at Easter and other Romanian holidays. Țuică is a strong plum brandy reaching a 70% alcohol content which is the country's traditional alcoholic beverage, taking as much as 75% of the national crop (Romania is one of the largest plum producers in the world). Traditional alcoholic beverages also include wine, rachiu, palincă and vișinată, but beer consumption has increased dramatically over the recent years.

Sport Association football (soccer) is the most popular sport in Romania with over 234,000 registered players as of 2010. The governing body is the Romanian Football Federation, which belongs to UEFA. The Romania national football team has taken part seven times in the FIFA World Cup games and had its most successful period during the 1990s, when they reached the quarterfinals of the 1994 FIFA World Cup and was ranked third by FIFA in 1997. The core player of this "Golden Generation" was Gheorghe Hagi, who was nicknamed "the Maradona of the Carpathians." Other successful players include Nicolae Dobrin, Dudu Georgescu, Florea Dumitrache, Liță Dumitru, Ilie Balaci, Loți Bölöni, Costică Ștefănescu, Cornel Dinu or Gheorghe Popescu, and most recently Adrian Mutu, Cristian Chivu, Dan Petrescu or Cosmin Contra. Cristina Neagu is the only female handball player in history to win three IHF World Player of the Year awards.

Tennis is the second-most-popular sport, with over 15,000 registered players. Romania reached the Davis Cup finals three times (1969, 1971, 1972). The tennis player Ilie NÄ&#x192;stase won several Grand Slam titles, and was the first player to be ranked as number 1 by ATP between 1973 and 1974. Virginia Ruzici won the French Open in 1978, and was runner-up in 1980, Simona Halep played the final in 2014 and is currently ranked 2nd by the WTA. Romania participated in the Olympic Games for the first time in 1900 and has taken part in 21 of the 28 summer games. It has been one of the more successful countries at the Summer Olympic Games, with a total of 306 medals won throughout the years, of which 89 gold ones, ranking 15th overall, and second (behind neighbour Hungary) of the nations that have never hosted the game. Almost a quarter of all the medals and 25 of the gold ones were won in gymnastics, with Nadia ComÄ&#x192;neci becoming the first gymnast ever to score a perfect ten in an Olympic event at the 1976 Summer Olympics.

Let’s have some fun! Find the words from the left column in the grid.

  

  COMANECI  COZONAC  DANUBE  EMINESCU  BRANCUSI  ENESCU  BUCHAREST  NASTASE  SARMALE  PALINCA

Turkey

TURKEY

Turkey is a large peninsula that bridges the continents of Europe and Asia. Turkey is surrounded on three sides by the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Aegean Sea. Turkey is where the three continents of the old world - Asia, Africa and Europe – are closest to each other. Only three percent of the country is in the European part and the rest are in the Anatolian Peninsula. The total area is 780 000 sq. kilometers, with population of 70 million. Straddling two continents, Europe and Asia, and bordering the volatile Middle East, Turkey has an unrivalled history stretching back thousands of years. From the ancient Hittites to the Ottomans, dozens of civilizations have made Turkey their home, leaving behind them a dazzling historical and archaeological heritage.

The Republic of Turkey Facing defeat after World War I, The Ottoman Empire, together with her allies, was compelled to sign the Mondros Armistice on October 30, 1918, which granted the victors total control in their redesign of the Ottoman State. Among the terms of the armistice was a provision that the entente powers could occupy areas deemed to be of strategic importance. These powers began to occupy Anatolia on November 1, 1918. Following the Greek occupation of Izmir, a national resistance movement was formed by the Society of the Defence of Rights (Müdafaa-i Hukuk) to repel the occupation forces. The military branch was called "Kuvay-i Milliye". Despite the Society's best intentions, the movement remained disorganized until the arrival of Mustafa Kemal at Samsun on 19 May,1919. In addition to launching the War of Indepdendence, Kemal and his associates also began planning a new regime, in which the rule of State would be replaced by the rule of its citizens. Even under these unprecedented conditions, Mustafa Kemal and his comrades, for example İsmet İNÖNÜ, remained loyal to the rules of a democratic regime, and took the first steps towards establishing a republic. On April 20, 1920, the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) was founded to conduct the War of Independence despite the Ottoman parliament in occupied Istanbul. A Turkish victory at the battle at Dumlupınar on August 26, 1922, called the "Battle of the Commander-in-Chief" (Başkomutanlık Savaşı), coupled with the liberation of Izmir on September 9, 1922 brought an end to the War of Independence. On July 24, 1923, the Lausanne Peace Treaty was signed and the TGNA announced on October 13, 1923 that Ankara was the new capital. 49

Preparation was underway for the establishment of a strong republic. On October 29, 1923, the Republic was proclaimed. Atatürk was then elected first President of the Republic of Turkey.

Atatürk's Reforms Atatürk dedicated his life to legal, political and social reforms. First, important changes were made in the legislature. On April 20, 1924, the new Constitution was ratified, and in 1925 the traditional Crop Tax was lifted. In 1926 the Law of Obligations, and the Civil, Commercial and Criminal Codes were revised along western lines. The closing of Dervish retreats, the Hat Law, and the adoption of the Gregorian calendar all created deep-rooted changes in the state and community. The same year the Latin alphabet was adopted to replace the Arabic script. The state structure was secularized in line with the sovereignty of the nation. The War of Independence, the Amasya Declaration, the Erzurum and Sivas Congresses, the establishment of the TGNA and the ratification of the 1921 Constitution all reflected the sovereign rights of the Turkish nation. This dealt a blow to the concept of a theocratic state. After the victory, the Sultanate and Caliphate were abolished (1922, 1924 respectively), the republic was proclaimed (1923), and the Canonical and Pious Foundations Ministry was closed (1924), all pointing to secularization. The article in the Constitution stating that the religion of the State was Islam, was deleted in 1928 and in 1937, the principle of secularism was inserted. The multi-party parliamentary system was introduced in 1946. Turkey's model secularism differed from the classic western form in that though separation of religion and state was adopted, the State assumed control of religious affairs. All Turkish citizens are free to practice their own religion and 98 % of the population is Moslem. No one is forced to attend religious gatherings, disclose their religious belief, and neither can they be discriminated against because of their religious practices. With the proclamation of the Republic, efforts were exerted to bring the traditional structure of the community to a level of contemporary civilization. The woman's rights movement gained impetus during the Reform period and Atatürk granted women the same rights as men. The "women's revolution" brought about legal changes in the law concerning control of religious affairs by the State (1924), and the Apparel Law of 1926. Thus, the educational system was also secularized and women had the same right to an education as men. The veil was also abolished. Furthermore, the Civil Code ascertained a women's status in society not by a religious, but by a legal formula. Thus, polygamy was abolished. Both men and women were granted the same rights in the eyes of the law in regard to marriage, divorce and inheritance. Women were given the right to vote and be elected to municipal councils in 1930 and to the National Assembly in 1934. Women's Rights today: The Constitution embraces the basic principle of sexual equality. There is no discrimination in public enterprises with regard to salaries. The International Labour Organization (ILO) agreement of 1951, stipulating equal pay for equal work was signed by Turkey in 1966. On July 24, 1985, the TGNA approved the agreement drawn up by the UN denouncing discrimination based on sex. Atatürk has made many revolutions like the participation of The women in social life, The Hat and Dress Revolution, the Closing of Tekkes, The “Surname Law, the Abolition of 50

Lâkaps and Unvans, The Adoption of International Time, Calendar and Numerals, the Unification of Education, The Adoption of the New Turkish Alphabet, The Language Revolution and The National View of History.

National and religius holidays 23 April – National Sovereignty and Childrens Day This is an important day in Turkey’s history when the Grand National Assembly was formed in Ankara during the War of Independence. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk declared the day a national holiday in Turkey to emphasise that Children are the successor of the future. Turkish Officials have been trying to internationalise this day and now a number of other Countries send children to Turkey to participate in the festivities. UNICEF now recognise 23 April as International Children’s Day. 1 May – Labour and Solidarity Day Celebrated in many countries round the world and is linked with International Workers’ Day.

19 May – Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day This is to commemorate Atatürk’s landing at Samsun and the beginning of the War of Independence. Atatürk’s birth date is not known but in one of his speeches he declared that he considers 19 May his birthday. 30 August – Victory Day Commemorates the victory in the Battle of Dumlupınar. It was one of the final and decisive battles of the War of Independence. A national holiday was declared on 30 August.

29 October – Republic Day On 29 October 1923 Mustafa Kemal Atatürk declared that Turkey was now a republic. The Grand National Assembly was formed on 23 April 1920 but was not confirmed until 3.5 years later. Atatürk Memorial Day (November 10) Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of Turkish Republic died on November 10, 1938. Since then, every year November 10, Turkish people pay tribute to Atatürk. At 9.05 a.m, the moment of his death for about a minute the Turkish people stand silent in commemoration of him. Many people visit Anıtkabir “memorial tomb”in Ankara during this day. Ramadan Festival Ramadan Festival is a time for visiting relatives and paying one's respect to older people. People give away sweets, coffee and desserts during the festival; children watch free Turkish shadow plays. The main characteristics of Ramadan Festival are that people, neighbours, relatives and friends pay visits and go to see each other. Young people kiss their parents' hands and receive best wishes and blessings from them. It is a tradition to give money or little gifts to those children who kiss one's hands.

Festival of sacrifice Feastival of Sacrifice is a four day religious festival. Traditions include sacrificing an animal in a special ritual, visiting relatives and helping the poor. Traditionally, on the first day of the Feastival of Sacrifice, men of each family go to a mosque for a special morning prayer. Then the sacrifice ritual begins. Families share about two thirds of the animal's meat with relatives and neighbors, and they traditionally give about one third to the poor.

Interesting places in Turkey

Pamukkale and Hierapolis The name Pamukkale in Denizli province, or “Cotton Castle”, is attributed to the white, cottony appearance of the mineral bath spas that abound the province, which is rich in calcium. Nearby are the ruins of the ancient city of Hierapolis.

Troy The ancient city walls of Troy, now in ÇANAKKALE, the place so expertly described by Homer in his work called Iliad. For many years, people wondered if the city was fictional until it was found by an archaeologist in 1865.

Mount Nemrut The statue heads of Mount Nemrut, in Adıyaman Province, are particularly stunning when viewed at sunset or sunrise. They are suspected to date from the 1st century BC.

Cappadocia Cappadocia which is unique in the world and is a miraculous nature wonder is the common name of the field covered by the provinces of Aksaray, Nevsehir, Nigde, Kayseri and Kirsehir in the Central Anatolian region.

Gobeklitepe The presentation of the world’s first temple, Gobeklitepe, a pre-historic site, about 15 km away from the city of Sanliurfa, Southeastern Turkiye. What makes Gobeklitepe unique in its class is the date it was built, which is roughly twelve thousand years ago, circa 10,000 BC.

Turkish art Osman Hamdi Bey - Painter Osman Hamdi Bey was an Ottoman statesman, intellectual, art expert and also a prominent and pioneering Turkish painter. He was also an accomplished archaeologist, and is considered as the pioneer of the museum curator's profession in Turkey. He was the founder of Istanbul Archaeology Museums and of Istanbul Academy of Fine Arts (Sanayi-i Nefise Mektebi in Turkish), known today as the Mimar Sinan University of Fine Arts. French orientalism painters Jean - Léon Gérôme and Gustave Boulanger were his teachers, whose influence is apparent in most of the paintings Osman Hamdi done.

The Tortoise Trainer by Osman Hamdi Bey, Pera Museum. 54

Mimar Sinan – Architect The most important person in Turkish history is Mimar Sinan (1490-1588). He was an architect who grew up in the most splendid period of the Ottoman Empire. In the course of his long career Sinan built 84 mosques, 51 mescit (small mosques) 3 hospitals, 57 medrese (theological schools), 7 schools for Koran reciting, 22 türbe (mausoleums) 17 imaret (alms houses) 7 aqueducts and arches, 48 Caravansaries, 35 palaces and mansions, 8 vaults and 46 bath across the Ottoman Empire, from Buda to Mecca, from Sofia to Damascus. Selimiye mosque complex, his crowning glory, brings together all the characteristics of Sinan's designs. This awesome building is a miracle of lightness and elegance. Dominated by a high dome, which sits on eight pillars, the mosque is flanked by four slender minarets reaching a height of 70.89 meters. Selimiye Mosque Fazil Say- pianist With his extraordinary pianistic talents, Fazıl Say has been touching audiences and critics alike for more than twenty-five years, in a way that has become rare in the increasingly materialistic and elaborately organised classical music world. Concerts with this artist are something different. They are more direct, more open, more exciting; in short, they go straight to the heart. Which is exactly what the composer Aribert Reimann thought in 1986 when, during a visit to Ankara, he had the opportunity, more or less by chance, to appreciate the playing of the sixteen-year-old pianist? He immediately asked the American pianist David Levine, who was accompanying him on the trip, to come to the city’s conservatory, using the now much-quoted words: ‘You absolutely must hear him; this boy plays like a devil.’

MERSIN General inforamtion Mersin is a large city and a busy port on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey and is the capital of the Mersin Province. It is part of Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area and lies on the west part of Çukurova, a geographical, economical and cultural region. According to Evliya Çelebi, the city is named after the Mersinoğullari tribe; another theory is that it is derived from the myrtle (Greek: μύρτος) which grows abundantly in the region. Mersin is so important for Turkey’s economy also Turkey’s biggest port is in Mersin.

Climate Mersin has a hot Mediterranean climate with very hot, dry summers and cool winters. Mersin has low rainfall all throughout the year Cuisine The local cuisine is famous, and restaurants specializing on the Mersin Region can be found all over Turkey, and includes specialties such as: Ciğer Kebap, (Liver on Mangal), typically served on lavaş with an assortment of meze at 12 skewers at a time, Tantuni, a hot lavaş wrap consisting of julienned lamb stir-fried on a sac on a hint of cottonseed oil, Bumbar, lamb intestines filled with a mixture of rice, meat and pistachios, that are served either grilled or 56

steamed, Cezerye, a lokum made of sweet carrots, covered in ground pistachios or coconuts, Karsambaç, peeled ice, (or even snow) served with a topping of pekmez or honey, Künefe, a wood-oven baked dessert based on a mixture of cheese and pastry; famous all throughout the Levant, Kerebiç, a shortbread filled with pistachio paste, also famous throughout the Levant, Şalgam suyu, a beverage made of fermented red carrots, very popular in Southern Turkey that is known somehow to cure hangover. KEREBİÇ

TANTUNİ

CEZERYE

CİĞER KEBAP

Culture Because the city has been a crossroads for centuries the local culture is a medley of civilizations. Mersin has a State Opera and Ballet, the fourth in Turkey after Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara. Mersin International Music Festival was established in 2001, and takes place every October. The photography association Mersin Fotograf Derneği (MFD), is one of the most popular and active cultural organizations in the city. Some cultural activities are sponsored by the İçel sanat kulübü (i.e., Art club of Mersin) There is a great archeology museum and naval museum in the city centre. There are lots of historical places like “kızalesi” means Maiden Castle.

MERSİN ARCHAEOLOGY MUSEUM

NARLIKUYU

MAIDEN’S CASTLE

POMPEOPOLIS

Let’s play! Find the secret words T

 ANKARA  FAZIL SAY  RAMADAN  PAMUKKALE  TROY  KEBAP  OSMAN HAMDİ  ATATÜRK

Let’s answer the questions Match the questions with the answers. ……… 1. Who is the founder of the Turkish Republic? ……… 2. When is it known as the starting date of the Turkish Independence War? ……… 3. When is the Victory Day of Turkish Republic? ……… 4. When is Atatürk Memorial Day? ……… 5. What is the basic tradition to take little gifts or Money in Ramadan? ……… 6. What makes “Göbeklitepe” unique in its class? ……… 7. Who is the most important architect in Turkish history? ……… 8. Where is Mersin in Turkey? a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h)

The date it was built, 12.000 years ago. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk 30 August Kissing older people’s hands 10 November 19 May, 1919 Mimar Sinan on the Mediterranean coast of southern Turkey Solution: 1-B 2-F 3-C 4-E 5-D 6-A 7-G 8-H

This publication was made within Erasmus+ Programme Action 2 Strategic Partnerships project 2015-2018 number: 2015-1-CZ01-KA219-013746 and is titled „The world we live in” by the partners from: The Chech Republic - Základní škola Uničov, okres Olomouc Italy - ICS Mons.Gagliano via Caduti di Nassiriya 4, Altavilla Milicia Poland – Zespół Szkół w Gałkowie Dużym, Gałków Duży Romania – Scoala Gimnaziala Nr.1 Urdarisat.Urdari Turkey – Inonu Ortaokulu Okan Merzeci Bulvari Kurdali Mah., Toroslar-Mersin