ON THE SANTA LUCIA TRAIL
This 15th version of Christmas in Europe organised by the team from the Virginska Skolan in Orebrö lived up to its promises, just like the preceding versions. Santa Lucia, the emblem of Christmas in Sweden, herself crossed the continent of Europe, travelling from her native Sicily to the beautiful towns of Halland, Scanie or Närke. The organising committee’s intention was to put students from all departments at the very heart of this event. Anyone fortunate enough to visit the Virginska Skolan, a multi-disciplinary institution in the heart of the old town, quickly realises that this pedagogical decision involving all the departments – dressmaking, design, creativity, marketing, media, pastry, culinary arts and hospitality – is ideally suited to the organisation of the international meeting that is Christmas in Europe. Those students from classes in which they have to overcome a handicap as well as their normal studies brought to the event an extra something from the heart, which is very much part of the Christmas theme: a ‘tak’s a mycket’ which is very special for them. The medieval evening, the fabulous concert, the stroll in a nature reserve, the picnic in a tepee – these elements supplemented and undoubtedly optimised the already well-tried basic concept of Christmas in Europe. The delegations which came to the 15th Christmas in Europe had every reason to be pleased that they had made the journey to the second most northerly latitude for Christmas in Europe since 1992. As the Swedes did on 13th December for Santa Lucia, so they did for us Orebrö! So on behalf of all the participants, I should like to express my heartfelt thanks to all of Björn Sterner’s team, both teachers and students, a ‘tak’s a mycket’ for the enthusiasm with which they organised a Christmas in Europe perfect in every detail, a Christmas in Europe which, just like all the preceding events, enabled the participants to come into contact with other cultures, with other traditions, with other Europeans! Christiane Keller | |||
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