Project “Euro 2012” is addressed to participants, visitors and football fans coming to the European Football Championship, which will be hosted by Poland and Ukraine in the summer 2012. Apart from logistical support (accommodation, travel, stay) the participants will need practical language guide and cultural information package, helping them to participate in Euro 2012 and move in hosting countries without communicative barriers.

The aim of the project will be to develop comprehensive didactic materials related to Polish and Ukrainian languages and culture: on-line language courses and practical information guide tending to present their specific features. The method of teaching will be innovative, as it will be based on e-learning technology, assuring thus their perfect functionality adjusted to the needs and expectations of Euro 2012 visitors. The course users will gain in this way a modern and useful tool to study the language and reality of countries, which in the eyes of Western Europe, still seem to be culturally distant. The didactic materials to study Polish and Ukrainian language will be developed in 22 EU official languages and in Russian, providing thus cultural and language support contributing to remove cross cultural barriers. As the title of the project implies, its results will also focus on one of non-EU country Ukraine, with the objective to bring closer this country’s language and culture to EU citizens.

The project will in long-term contribute to remove distrust and unjustifiable fear of hosting countries among all visitors participating in Euro 2012. We hope that in the future the project will contribute to diminish cultural distance towards Poland and Ukraine.

The results of the project will comprise: didactic materials to learn Polish and Ukrainian languages available online, language guide for course users in the version adjusted to be printed and taken to the event, podcasting materials with the language content (Polish and Ukrainian), on-line dictionary, Info Poland and Info Ukraine: cultural information package, bulletins edited every 2 months, RSS canals, Internet forum (e-community) gathering future Euro 2012 visitors, fans and participants.

The project will thus focus on less widely taught and less used languages in EU: languages which are unique and culturally rich, the knowledge of which could contribute to better understanding of the Polish and Ukrainian culture. The didactic materials, promoting language learning and linguistic diversity in EU, will be easily accessible online. They will also take into consideration the objectives of lifelong language learning, motivating language learners to study intensely the language and culture of Poland and Ukraine at any stage of life and at every age. Such dialogue will promote multilingual comprehension and intercultural values.
The results of the project will tend to show that cultural barriers are possible to be removed once realized, revealing the image of the 2 less known and developed European countries, Poland and Ukraine.

Through the project we want to convince people of the great value which learning languages is. The project’s aim will also be to raise awareness among institutions/organizations which are outside the field of language teaching. The contribution for job mobility will also be long-term objective of the project. Our objective is to develop inspiring, motivating and interesting learning environment with the support of innovative multimedia learning materials.

Summing up, the project corresponds to the following purposes of Lifelong Learning Programme and Transversal Programme, Key Activities 2: 1. promotes the knowledge of foreign languages and supports the linguistic diversity in Member States 2. supports new initiatives in the field of using modern technologies in education, 3. promotes innovative technologies and education concepts, creating educational materials and services for the purpose of disseminating lifelong learning. It will be achieved by developing new language learning materials (online courses) and promoting language and culture awareness and access to language learning resources.