Alexander McCall Smith and Maggie O'Farrell in Scottish Book News
Aug 7 2021
Alexander McCall Smith and Maggie O’Farrell in Scottish Book News

JUST OUT: Prolific Scottish author Alexander McCall Smith recently told The Herald that he “loses track” of the number of books he produces, but averages around five a year. He has six novels planned for 2021 and has already passed the half-way point, with number four – The Pavilion in the Clouds – published last Friday. Set in a Sri Lankan tea plantation during the final days of the British Empire and in St Andrews, Scotland, the story centres around the family who own the plantation and their mysterious governess. It’s published by Birlinn, £14.99.

EVENTS: Maggie O’Farrell is among the literary stars appearing next week at Fringe by the Sea, the multi-arts festival festival which continues in North Berwick until August 15. On Tuesday (August 10), Ghillie Basan will be talking about her books, The Scottish Brunch Bible and A Taste of the Highlands. Denise Mina will join Brian Taylor over a lunchtime blether to discuss her forthcoming novel, Rizzio – ‘a radical new take on one of the darkest episodes in Scottish history’, which took place in Mary, Queen of Scots’ Holyrood Palace chambers.

On Wednesday, aspiring authors can learn the tricks of the trade from Emma Salisbury. The creator of gritty Edinburgh-set thrillers and a successful police procedural series featuring DS Kevin Coupland, Salisbury presents A Masterclass in Crime Writing in the Marine North Berwick Hotel.

On Friday, hugely successful author Maggie O’Farrell will be in the Belhaven Big Top discussing her books, including bestselling novel, Hamnet, and memoir, I Am, I Am, I Am. Later in the afternoon, Helen McClory will be talking about her novel, Bitterhall.

Full programme details at fringebythesea.com

AWARDS: A Series o Scunnersome Events: The Boggin Beginnin has been awarded a Scots Language Publication Grant. The first in a planned series of translations of the popular Lemony Snicket children’s stories, it’s one of 10 new books to receive these grants this year. Author Thomas Clark said he was “fair-trickit” with The Boggin Beginnin’s award, adding: “The opportunity to make this fantastic book available to young people in their ain leid is a real dream come true.”

Other titles to receive the grants include The Itchy Coo Book o Aesop’s Fables by Matthew Fitt and James Robertson, Colin Burnett’s debut novel, A Working Class State of Mind and Kirsty Johnson’s Phantom the Ginger Mog. 

Funded by the Scottish Government and administered by the Scottish Book Trust, the Scots Language Publication Grant is in its third year and “provides assistance for publishing new work (including translated texts), reprinting existing historical or culturally significant work, and also effective marketing and promotion of existing and new work”.

Scottish Book Trust CEO Marc Lambert said he was impressed by the “diversity in genre and subject matter” of this year’s awardees, which range “from children’s stories to poetry; from classic tales we grew up with, to ancient Chinese poetry”.

The full list of books awarded the Scots Language Publication grant is as follows: 
A Series o Scunnersome Events, Book the First: The Boggin Beginnin (Itchy Coo) by Thomas Clark and illustrated by Brett Helquist; A Working Class State of Mind (Leamington Books) by Colin Burnett; Berries Fae Banes (Tippermuir) by Jim Macintosh; Hard Roads an Cauld Hairst Winds: Li Bai an Du Fu in Scots (Taproot Press) by Brian Holton; Laird Graham an the Kelpie (Giglets Education) by Jax McGhee; Norlan Lichts (Rymour Books) by Sheena Blackhall, Sheila Templeton and Lesley Benzie; Phantom the Ginger Mog (Wee Stoorie Press) by Kirsty Johnson and illustrated by Mandy Sinclair; The Day It Never Got Dark In Dundee (Rymour Books) by Ian Spring; The Itchy Coo Book o Aesop’s Fables in Scots (Itchy Coo) by Matthew Fitt and James Robertson, illustrated by Emma Chichester Clark; Wheesht (Foggie Toddle Books) by Susi Briggs and illustrated by William Gorman.

www.scottishbooktrust.com

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Book Club: 13 takeaways from ‘Summer on the Bluffs’ discussion with Sunny Hostin
Aug 4 2021
Book Club: 13 takeaways from ‘Summer on the Bluffs’ discussion with Sunny Hostin

“It’s a love letter to Black love in all its forms…I hope people will take away from it that this world exists,” the author said.

Last week, the Boston.com Book Club hosted a virtual discussion with author and “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin on her new novel, “Summer on the Bluffs.” Moderated by award-winning writer Deesha Philyaw, author of “The Secret Lives of Church Ladies,” our conversation covered Hostin’s writing process, the real-life places on Oak Bluffs that inspired her, why “love is at the center of everything,” and Black excellence.

Ahead, we share the top takeaways from the event, and you can also watch the full recording here.

There is a real home in Oak Bluffs that inspired the story

Sunny Hostin has been summering on Oak Bluffs for many years. Every day, she takes a walk along the same seven-mile route, which winds by a home that has always caught her eye. She started imagining the people who lived in the home and what their stories might be. She wondered: If someone were to inherit a home like this, what history and secrets might they inherit, too? Later, it would become the inspiration for Chateau Laveau, which Hostin considers to be the main character of her novel.

Hostin wanted to depict all kinds of Black love throughout the book

“In my mind, love is at the center of everything,” said the author. “I wanted to explore relationships. It’s meant to be a light, beach read, but if we are exploring the lives of Black folks, it has to be nuanced; it has to be complicated. And at its center, is our love for each other.” Hostin expertly weaves together depictions of the love between family members, friends and especially Black married couples, because that kind of Black love is not showcased nor celebrated nearly enough.

A ‘historian at heart,’ Hostin did research for each character

Hostin is a voracious reader of nonfiction and African American history and—hearkening back to her tenure as a federal prosecutor—did thorough research when developing her characters to make sure she got every detail right.For example, she took the time to figure out what a woman like Ama, elegant and self-made, would collect and have as hobbies. Ama collects fine art by Black artists and keeps bees for the sake of sustainability. She is a beacon of Black excellence and the image of her character grew and changed as Hostin gleaned more knowledge.

Hostin didn’t truly feel like a writer until ‘Summer on the Bluffs’

Hostin’s memoir was painful for her to write, but the words came to her easily, since she was recounting her own life. This novel, however, was a different experience entirely. She was able to create her own world and have control over that world and also learned how to speak through characters. “I told my editor one day toward the end, ‘I’m freaking myself out! I’m alone at home and I’m having conversations with these people in my head,’’ said Hostin. “I was feeling weird and she said, ‘No you’ve become a writer. Your characters have become real to you,’ and I think that’s how it changed me. This, I felt, made me a writer, made me a creative.”

Black women are the author’s intended audience for this book—including herself

Hostin typically covers social justice stories as a co-host of “The View,” which can often skew heavy, and when she was looking for books that she could escape into (and one that featured successful Black women at the fore) she couldn’t find nearly enough. So she decided to write her own, despite some skepticism. She knew that there was an audience of readers anxiously awaiting a book like this one.

You can visit every place mentioned in the novel

Every location Hostin included in the novel is a real place on the Vineyard—so you can use the novel as a guide when planning your next island getaway.

Hostin has a favorite character you might not expect

While she originally suspected it to be Perry because she too is an Afro-Latina woman married to a doctor, Hostin’s favorite character is Ama—the elegant godmother—for her complexity and her agency. The author fell in love with Ama for her unapologetic nature.

The hardest scenes for Hostin to write were the ‘steamy’ ones

A self-proclaimed “nice Catholic girl,” Hostin didn’t plan to include any sex scenes in the novel. Advertisement:

“My editor said, ‘I love the pages—where’s the sex?’ And I said, ‘There’s no sex,” and she’s like, ‘It’s a beach read, they’ve got to get it on,’” said Hostin. “That was very difficult for me to write actually; I blush when I read it now.”

It was important to show ‘the full picture’ of Black men

Hostin was pushing to dismantle the notion that Black men are a monolith. Even when just considering the differences between characters Omar (based on Hostin’s loving husband) and Carter (based on her father), readers can gain a better understanding. “Our men are so complex, and I am surrounded by strong Black beautiful men,” said the author. “I’ve got to really show the world the full picture of these Black men.”

‘Summer on the Bluffs’ is the first in a trilogy

Called the Summer Beach Series, all of the books will take place in historically Black beachfront communities. The second novel—which Hostin is about 150 pages into at the moment—will take place in Sag Harbor, New York, and the third will be set in Highland Beach, Maryland.

The secrets came first when writing the novel

Hostin’s mother once told her that “we are as sick as our secrets” and the author used that piece of wisdom as a starting point for her story, giving each character a secret early on in the writing process and then expanding the plot from there.

Hostin makes ‘writing appointments’ with herself

The author will carve out a couple of hours during her busy life to just write. From 11 p.m. and 1 a.m., she heads into her office and plans to write then no matter what, even if it’s forced at times. She believes this is the best way to finally finish a book.

The author hopes readers will be inspired to write their own stories

“It was meant to be aspirational,” said Hostin. “It’s a love letter to Black love in all its forms…I hope people will take away from it that this world exists. I hope that they will visit the Vineyard…and I hope more people are encouraged to write their stories.”

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Norway returned ancient coins to Bulgaria
Jun 29 2021
Norway returned ancient coins to Bulgaria

The most valuable among them is from Thassos, dating from 525-463 BC.

Today, the Minister of Culture of Norway Rabid Raja handed over to the Bulgarian Ambassador Vera Shatilova 51 ancient Roman and one ancient Greek coin, exported illegally from our country. Among the artifacts returned to Bulgaria, the coin from Thassos, which dates from 525-463 BC, has a special value, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported.

At an official ceremony at the Oslo History Museum, Ambassador Shatilova thanked Minister Raja and the Norwegian institutions who worked to prevent illegal imports, for their excellent work, exceptional professionalism and contribution to the return of cultural values ​​to Bulgarian citizens.

She stressed that this event is an expression of good cooperation between the two countries, for which the protection of cultural heritage is a common priority.

Minister Raja expressed his satisfaction with the possibility of returning the valuable coins to Bulgaria and noted the key importance of preventive measures as a condition for preventing the trafficking of movable cultural heritage.

Cultural artifacts were also handed over to the embassies of Italy, Latvia, Slovakia, Germany, the United States and Spain.

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MEPs approve the EU’s new culture programme
May 19 2021
MEPs approve the EU’s new culture programme

Photo by m@ms88 on Unsplash

News | European Parliament

  • Around 2.5 billion EUR investment for EU cultural and creative sectors
  • More focus on music, inclusivity and promotion of female talent
  • News media supported for the first time

On Wednesday, MEPs adopted ‘Creative Europe’, the EU’s programme for culture and the audiovisual sector, and the EU’s biggest ever financial commitment.

The new programme, with its budget almost doubled when compared to 2014-2020, (up from 1.4 billion euro) will invest 2.5 billion euro (in current prices) in the EU’s cultural and creative sectors. MEPs recognise the importance of the continent’s cultural sector, and helping it recover from the COVID-19 pandemic which has left many music and cultural venues across Europe closed.

Alongside the significant increase in funding, MEPs secured greater focus on inclusion, on support for contemporary and live music sectors that are among those hit hardest by the pandemic, and higher co-financing rates for small-scale projects.

In negotiations with Council, MEPs were also successful in including an obligation for the programme to promote female talent and support women’s artistic and professional careers. Women are still underrepresented in decision-making positions in cultural, artistic and creative institutions.

In the plenary debate before the vote, MEPs spoke of how COVID-19 has put artists and cultural workers in a precarious situation, and in need of the EU’s support more than ever. Many insisted that culture and art deserved even more of the EU financial support in the future. Watch the debate here.

 

Quotes

“The new generation of the programme has been developed with two important objectives in mind: firstly, the safeguarding, development and promotion of European cooperation on cultural diversity and heritage. Secondly, to increase the competitiveness and economic potential of the cultural and creative sectors, in particular the audio-visual sector. This is particularly important given the disastrous effects of the pandemic. The Parliament worked hard and fought for a strengthened and enhanced programme; now it is time also for member states to make concrete efforts in supporting the sector to recover”, said the rapporteur Massimiliano Smeriglio (S&D, IT).

“Around 3.8 % of Europeans work in European cultural and creative sectors. However, this sector has always faced challenges ‑ such as competition with big commercial productions and the very fragmented transnational cultural market. Now, current lock-downs have had a dramatic effect on the EU’s cultural communities, and they need our help more than ever. This significantly better-funded programme recognises the added value of culture to our European way of life and is a first step towards helping it stand up to the challenges of globalisation and digitalisation”, said Chair of the Culture and Education Committee Sabine Verheyen (EPP, DE).


Next steps

The programme has been already approved by the Council and will enter into force immediately after being published in the official journal. In order to ensure a smooth transition from the previous programme period, retroactivity provisions in the regulation ensure that the new Creative Europe enters into effect from 1 January 2021.


Background

The largest slice of “Creative Europe” (1.4 billion EUR) will go to the MEDIA strand that supports the development, promotion and distribution of European films and audiovisual works within Europe and beyond.

The CULTURE strand supports cross-border cultural and creative projects – cooperation (networks, platforms, innovation projects) between organisations and professionals in areas such as music, books and promotion of European literature, architecture, as well as the EU Cultural prizes and initiatives.

Under the third, cross-sectoral strand, the support for the first time will also go to the news media sector, promoting media literacy, pluralism, press freedom and quality journalism, and helping the media to better address the challenges of digitalisation.

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Portuguese Presidency outlines priorities to EP committees
Jan 28 2021
Portuguese Presidency outlines priorities to EP committees

Ministers are outlining the priorities of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU to parliamentary committees, in a series of meetings.

Portugal holds the Presidency of the Council until the end of June 2021. The first set of hearings takes place between 25 and 28 January. A second set of hearings will take place the following week. This press release will be updated regularly.

Foreign Affairs

On 26 January, Foreign Affairs Minister Augusto Santos Silva outlined a range of external action priorities to the Foreign Affairs Committee. He spoke of the importance of reviving the transatlantic dialogue between the EU and the new Biden administration, promoting stronger ties between the EU and the Asia-Pacific region, notably India, as well as intensifying EU cooperation with Africa and the African Union, for example when it comes to finalising a new Post-Cotonou Partnership Agreement.

MEPs quizzed the minister on several topics, such as the EU’s strategy vis-à-vis China, the Presidency’s approach to Russia, and migration issues. They welcomed the initiative to hold the EU-India summit in Porto this year as well as Portugal’s readiness to further engage in enlargement efforts. MEPs also questioned Mr Santos Silva on how the EU will guarantee respect for social, environmental and human rights in its commercial policy with third countries.

Fisheries

On 26 January, Maritime Affairs Minister Ricardo Serrão Santos told the Fisheries Committee that the Presidency is committed to advancing negotiations on quotas with the UK and reaching a deal on this with Norway. MEPs complained about the uncertainty around fishing conditions following Brexit and how the Brexit Reserve Adjustment is to be distributed among countries.

They also highlighted the importance of concluding the regulation on the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund, obtaining a general agreement on the new Fisheries Control, and concluding fishing deals with third countries, like Mauritania, Guinea-Conakry and Madagascar. Serrão Santos assured them that these are all priorities for the Portuguese Presidency.

Transport and Tourism

On 26 January, Infrastructure and Housing Minister Pedro Nuno Santos and Secretary of State for Tourism Rita Marques stressed that tourism and transport are two of the sectors hit hardest by the pandemic, which will also recover last from this crisis. Therefore, the Presidency will strive to contribute to a swift recovery and transformation of the transport sector, to make it more resilient, greener and smarter. The focus will then turn to the railway sector, implementing a new EU mobility strategy and further work on Single European Sky and Eurovignette draft rules.

Transport Committee MEPs welcomed the Presidency’s focus on sustainable mobility, rail and their attempt to support, in particular, passengers as well as companies working in the transport and tourism sectors. They urged the Presidency to advance further on the Connecting Europe Facility, air passenger rights and alternative aviation fuels draft rules.

Culture and Education

Culture Minister Graça Fonseca told the Culture and Education Committee on 26 January that supporting the recovery of the cultural and creative sectors is a priority, as is strengthening social security for artists, authors and other workers. MEPs called on the minister to earmark at least 2% of the recovery funds for cultural and creative sectors, and to make it binding for all member states to invest in the social protection of workers.


Education Minister Tiago Brandão Rodrigues and Science, Technology and Higher Education Minister Manuel Heitor stressed their commitment to reducing inequalities in access to education, as well as on re-training and up-skilling of professionals of all ages. MEPs noted that young people find it hard to enter the labour market, and asked for the European Youth guarantee to be strengthened.

Agriculture and Rural Development

Concluding the talks on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform is one of the Presidency’s top priorities, Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development Minister Maria do Céu Antunes told the Agriculture Committee on 26 January. An agreement should be reached in April, the Minister said. The Presidency will focus on promoting structural development within the food system, sustainability in rural areas, digital growth and supporting organic farming. Other priorities include the Farm to Fork strategy and fostering more sustainable and biodiverse agriculture.

Negotiations on the CAP reform should be finalised as quickly as possible, but not at any cost, MEPs said. They called on member states to come closer to Parliament’s position, which is more ambitious than the Council’s, and stressed that the future CAP must be greener, ensure a level playing field and a fair income for EU farmers, and guarantee food security for EU citizens.

Women’s Rights and Gender Equality

On 26 January, Mariana Vieira Da Silva, Minister of State for the Presidency reminded the Women’s Rights and Gender Equality Committee that women are particularly affected by the COVID-19 crisis. They are on the front line in combatting the pandemic, are hit harder by the economic crisis and are facing an increase in domestic violence during periods of confinement. The Presidency will organise a conference on violence against women and aims to create an EU-wide single hotline to report domestic violence, she announced.

The Minister also said that they will work on reaching a consensus on the Women on Boards Directive, blocked for years in the Council. In addition to this legislation, MEPs called for the Anti-discrimination Directive, which has been in a deadlock for 12 years, to be unblocked. Some MEPs expressed concern that certain EU countries are moving away from democracy and not upholding respect for gender equality. They called on the Presidency to highlight the strong link between the rule of law mechanism and respect for gender equality.

Environment, Public Health and Food Security

On 25 January, Environment and Climate Action Minister João Pedro Matos Fernandes told the Environment, Public Health and Food Security Committee that Portugal will promote the EU as a leader in Climate Action. The presidency is prioritising a green recovery and getting a deal on the EU Climate Law. MEPs raised questions on issues such as the EU Climate Law, biodiversity, the CAP reform, hydrogen, CO2 emissions from shipping and the need for a green industrial strategy and green investments. They also stressed the importance of the upcoming UN climate change conference in Glasgow.

On 26 January, Agriculture Minister Maria do Céu Antunes emphasised the need for a green and sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis, which includes a follow-up on the Farm to Fork strategy. Council conclusions in spring 2021 will shape the EU’s position for the COP26 in Glasgow. MEPs quizzed the Minister on a number of topics including biodiversity, desertification, food waste, animal welfare, the reduction of pesticides and biological control agents.

Legal Affairs

On 27 January, the Legal Affairs Committee held a debate with Justice Minister Francisca Van Dunem, in which digitalisation and access to legal recourse, the protection of vulnerable adults, environmental crimes, the fight against illegal and online hate speech, and women and children’s rights figured prominently. MEPs underlined the importance of tackling the negative impact of COVID-19 on the justice sector. To increase citizens’ trust in EU justice systems, member states should provide support, and systems and proceedings should be simplified and made more inclusive and comprehensible, explained Van Dunem.

Members asked about the Presidency’s position on the Digital Services and Digital Markets Acts, particularly in relation to removing illegal or harmful content while respecting fundamental rights. In response to questions from MEPs regarding the state of play of the Non-Financial Reporting and Women on Boards directives, as well as public country-by-country reporting files, the Minister expressed hope for progress in these areas.

Development

The Presidency’s main goals include stronger ties with Africa, a greater emphasis on human development in development policies as well as resolving the ongoing issues linked to the NDICI external financing tool and the Post-Cotonou agreement, emphasised Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation Francisco André when he spoke the Development Committee on 27 January. Defining the EU’s relationship with African, Pacific and Caribbean countries is also a priority, he said.

MEPs welcomed the Portuguese focus on Africa, calling for special attention to be placed on education and inequality, which is growing in the pandemic and damaging the social fabric. Several MEPs called for the EU to ensure that vaccination happens in Africa. Others urged Portugal to set up a long-awaited summit between the EU and the African Union before the latter meets China in a similar format.

Constitutional Affairs

On 28 January, the Constitutional Affairs Committee met with Secretary of State for European Affairs Ana Paula Zacarias and stressed the need to quickly finalise the joint declaration on the Conference on the Future of Europe. They also asked the Presidency to commit to the prospect of treaty changes. Ms Zacarias reiterated the Presidency’s intention to make progress on the reform of the Ombudsman Statute, Parliament’s rights of inquiry and initiative, and the accession of the EU to the European Convention on Human Rights.

MEPs welcomed the Presidency’s commitment to protecting EU values and asked Ms Zacarias for more information on ongoing Article 7 procedures and the new mechanism to protect the EU budget. They also raised the creation of an independent EU ethics body, the rules on financing European political parties and foundations, Parliament’s role in the governance of the agreement with the UK, and transparency concerns regarding the Council’s activities.

Security and Defence

On 28 January, National Defence Minister João Gomes Cravinho told the Subcommittee on Security and Defence that the Presidency will continue promoting EU strategic autonomy and work on developing the common European Strategic Compass. It will pay particular attention to EU relations with Africa, maritime security in key areas such as the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic, transatlantic relations, military mobility and cyber defence. Other priorities include activating the European Defence Fund (EDF), he said.

MEPs questioned the Minister on several topics, such as the European Peace Facility (EPF), Russia and China’s hostile activities, the situation in the Eastern Mediterranean and issues with Turkey, as well as relations with the UK.

International Trade

Following Foreign Affairs Minister Augusto Santos Silva’s presentation in the International Trade committee, most MEPs were concerned that ongoing talks with Mercosur countries must include further reassurances on environmental, labour and social standards. MEPs reiterated that the deal in its current form is unacceptable for Parliament, due to continued concerns about deforestation, biodiversity loss and human rights.

MEPs welcomed the Presidency’s intention to revive talks on an EU-India investment agreement, but emphasised that including clauses on environmental, labour and social obligations is vital. Likewise, most MEPs underlined that China must commit to ending forced labour in light of the EU-China investment agreement. They also asked the Presidency about its plans to unblock talks on the international procurement instrument, a helpful tool to ensure a level playing field in EU-China relations.

Internal Market and Consumer Protection

In the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee on 28 January, Economy and Digital Transition Minister Pedro Siza Vieira stressed that the Presidency will focus on the EU making a resilient and fair recovery from the pandemic. They will do this by making as much progress as possible on Next Generation EU, as well as approving and executing national recovery plans. He emphasised the impact that recovery plans will have on both digital and green transitions, including increased EU strategic autonomy and a diversification of production.

As the single market plays an important role in all these areas, the Presidency aims to reduce regulatory barriers and fragmentation, especially to services. It will focus on improving the single market for SMEs. With regard to digital goods and services, the Minister stressed the importance of improving digital skills and digitising public administration (including electronic ID), as well as the Digital Services Act.

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THE 33rd EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS: FINAL WINNERS News
Dec 12 2020
THE 33rd EUROPEAN FILM AWARDS: FINAL WINNERS News

Three Nominations for new LUX European Audience Film Award

During the virtual European Film Awards ceremony in Berlin on Saturday, Another Round, Corpus Christi, and Collective were shortlisted for the LUX Audience Award.

“Congratulations to the teams behind the three films that were just nominated in Berlin for the LUX award! All the nominations are fantastic and all would be worthy winners. Each film is very different, yet each is of outstanding artistic quality and bears a clear social message that deserves to be heard throughout the EU and beyond”, said Sabine Verheyen (EPP, DE), chair of the EP Culture and Education committee, on Saturday evening.

She also invited all Europeans to watch the films and vote for them. “We want European citizens to be a part of the award, especially now that the sector has been so affected by the pandemic. For the European Parliament, LUX Award is an important contribution to promote European culture and common values, which define our identity and our way of life. Culture can touch the hearts and minds of people in ways that politics will never be able to”, she added.

Viewers can vote from 13 December 2020 to 11 April 2021

Another Round by Thomas Vinterberg, Corpus Christi by Jan Komasa, and Collective by Alexander Nanau are the films shortlisted to win the LUX Audience Award. EU viewers can now be part of the jury and help determine the winner by rating the films via the platform luxaward.eu, to be launched on 13 December. Voting ends on 11 April 2021.

The three nominated films will be subtitled in the 24 official EU languages. Screenings in EU cinemas will be promoted – insofar as present health conditions permit – and be supported to increase visibility in all member states and in the UK.

From 1 March 2021, MEPs will start to cast their votes via a dedicated internal platform. The winner will be announced in the European Parliament plenary sitting on 28 April 2021.

Discovering the films

Another Round – the Danish-Swedish-Dutch co-production directed by Thomas Vinterberg is the story of a group of high-school teachers who decide to follow the theory inspired by Norwegian psychologist Finn Skårderud who believes humans are born with a 0.05% alcohol deficit in their blood. The group of friends decide to experiment in order to explain this conundrum.

Corpus Christi – the Polish-French co-production directed by Jan Komasa is the story a 20-year-old man who experiences a spiritual calling while detained in a youth centre. Due to his criminal record, he cannot become a priest. However, he accidentally takes over a local parish and brings the local community a novel approach to life and religion.

Collective – Romanian-Luxembourg co-production directed by Alexander Nanau is the gripping story of the joint efforts of doctors, government officials, and particularly investigative journalists who face corruption while uncovering a vast health-care fraud in Bucharest after a fire at the Colectiv night club.

Background

The winner of the LUX Audience Award – jointly awarded by Parliament and the European Film Academy and in partnership with the European Commission and the Europa Cinemas network – will be selected by MEPs and the audience (each accounting for 50% of the final decision).

The nominees will be screened across the EU during the LUX Film Days or LUX Audience Week until 11 April 2021. Due to the evolving COVID-19 situation, cinema screenings have been postponed to the spring.

The award strives to promote creativity and diversity in European cinema, by supporting films produced in Europe and helping them to overcome language and distribution barriers.

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New volunteering programme for young people in Europe and beyond agreed
Dec 11 2020
New volunteering programme for young people in Europe and beyond agreed
News | European Parliament
  • Higher quality of activities and better conditions for volunteers
  • Mandatory plans to include people with fewer opportunities
  • Higher age limit for those volunteering in humanitarian aid

On Friday, Parliament and Council reached a political agreement on the European Solidarity Corps for 2021-2027, worth more than one billion EUR.

“Today’s agreement is excellent news for young people in the EU and beyond. The programme will start in January 2021 and Parliament managed to secure many gains for volunteers. Volunteering will the main activity of the programme, which has been our priority from the very beginning. We are now able to guarantee a higher quality of volunteering activities, by obliging hosts to offer new, useful skills and competences. Similarly, from now on we will be able to include many more people with fewer opportunities”, said Michaela Šojdrova (EPP,CZ), rapporteur on the European Solidarity Corps (ESC).

More value and better conditions for volunteers and target groups

MEPs ensured that host organisations will need to prove the quality of the volunteering activities on offer, with a focus on learning, and gaining skills and competences. Similarly, the organisations will need to prove they comply with occupational health and safety regulations.

Parliament also succeeded in better protecting target groups. Special clearance will be needed for volunteers working with children and people with disabilities. Programmes will also be required to prove that they contribute to positive societal changes in local communities.

Inclusion of young people with fewer opportunities

Thanks to MEPs, the Commission and member states will have to present how they plan to include people with fewer opportunities. Young people will be able to volunteer in their own country, in particular those with fewer opportunities.

Higher age limit for humanitarian aid volunteers

Since humanitarian action poses specific challenges, MEPs insisted that the age limit of humanitarian aid volunteers be extended to 35 with a possibility to hire experts and coaches without the age limit.

Greener volunteering

In line with the European Green Deal, volunteering activities will have to respect the “do no harm” principle and the programmes will later be evaluated taking into account their contribution to the EU’s climate objectives, such as choosing climate-neutral means of transportation.

Next steps

The agreement reached today still needs to be formally approved by both Parliament and Council.

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European Union funds nine Capacity Building for Higher Education projects in Sri Lanka
Sep 15 2020
European Union funds nine Capacity Building for Higher Education projects in Sri Lanka

Sept 14, Colombo: The Delegation of the European Union (EU) to Sri Lanka and the Maldives in collaboration with the University of Peradeniya announced EU-funded Capacity Building for Higher Education (CBHE) projects for 2020 on 10 September 2020.

The announcement took place at the University of Peradeniya together with 15 other participant institutions. The EU in Sri Lanka is funding nine capacity-building projects in 2020 through the Erasmus+ program, which aims to promote the sustainable development of its partners in the field of higher education.

Frank Hess, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation, welcomed the occasion and congratulated all Sri Lankan partners. He also acknowledged the coordinating role played by the University of Peradeniya.

He noted that “Education, research, and development are key EU priorities for its external relations with partner countries such as Sri Lanka and that higher education institutions play a key role in advancing societies”. He explained that Erasmus + offers a broad range of funding opportunities which allows university staff, including academic and administrative staff, to benefit from CBHE projects.

Prof. Upul B. Dissanayake, Vice-Chancellor, University of Peradeniya said that the University has thoroughly focused on initiating both Capacity Building and International Credit Mobility (ICM) Programs with European Universities under both Erasmus Mundus and ERASMUS+.

He added that from 2015 until now, the University of Peradeniya has been a recipient of most of these awards in Sri Lanka, as a partner in many applications that were successful in winning the grants. He also mentioned that as the No.1 Ranked University in Sri Lanka, University of Peradeniya has taken the leading role in a collaborative effort with other Sri Lankan Universities as well in this venture.

Fifteen universities are participating in the EU-funded CBHE projects. They are the University of Moratuwa, University of Ruhuna, Eastern University of Sri Lanka, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, University of Sabaragamuwa, Uva Wellasaa University, University of Colombo, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, University of Sri Jayawardenepura, Rajarata University of Sri Lanka, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka Institute of Information and Technology, Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority, Sri Lanka Energy Managers Association, and the SLT campus. Two institutions from the Maldives Dhivehiraajeyge Qaumee Univesrity and Villa College are also benefitting from the CBHE Erasmus+ funding.

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