Those who are particularly curious are familiar with the European Heritage Days in France. But the name does include the word “Europe”…Translation: this event is also held in other countries across the Old Continent, starting with the most famous of the Mediterranean archipelagos. During your recent language study trip to Malta with LEC —and your next one—our organization takes a look at the European Heritage Days in this small republic not far from Sicily, where Shakespeare’s language is spoken just as much as Maltese.
What exactly are the European Heritage Days?
European Heritage Days are annual national events. The 2015 edition begins today, Saturday, September 19, and will end tomorrow. Created in the mid-1980s by the French Ministry of Culture, they are now held in more than fifty countries —as you would have the opportunity to see, for example, during a language study trip to Malta.
Red-carpet treatment at palaces, castles, museums, government ministries, abbeys, and mansions
What is the goal of these local events? To give a diverse audience the chance to explore sites of interest, buildings, and other locations that are rarely open to the public. Over the course of an entire weekend, people of all ages can discover or rediscover palaces, castles, museums, government buildings, abbeys, and other historic mansions. A godsend for anyone who loves combining the discovery of a foreign culture with learning the local language!
When Malta showcases the diversity of its cultural heritage
In Malta, European Heritage Days are a time to celebrate the diversity of the archipelago’s cultural heritage. The country has indeed been shaped by a variety of influences: those of Mediterranean cultures proper, as well as those of the Commonwealth. During a language study trip to Malta, simply be sure to refer to the event by its English name, namely European Heritage Days !