Presentations of the Cultural Briefings

English Course in Riga for European Trade Unionists Riga, Latvia, 2. - 9. October 2010

Luc Gysembergand his lab assistent Tom

Something about Belgium

The Belgiums are „confused“

For example the Hymnwww.youtube.com/watch?v=yCuY_z4Bnx8www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oqzswNq6ao

Movie about Belgium

www.viralviralvideos.com/2010/09/23/short-animated-film-about-belgium/

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY-SqLULieY

Belgium Flag?

Belgium Flag?

Beer and Pralines???

Toots Thielemans

www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtSJH8iVdJg

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY-SqLULieY

FINLAND

Topics• Facts• History• Finnish export products• What are Finns like?

• What do and don’t?

FINLAND

Facts

Population 5,4 Milj.

Total area 338 145 km2 70 % is forest

Facts• Highest recorded temperature +37 c and 

lowest  – 52 c

• Average  +20 c in summer and ‐10 c in winter

• Parlament with 200 members

• Government (Centre Party)

• Female primeminister and

Female President

Facts• Official languages Finnish and Swedish• Lutheran 80% and Ortohdox 1 %• Over half of Employed belongs Union

. General compulsory education 1921

. Free lunch at schools 1943 

History• 10 000 Years ago under ice• 1150 – 1520  Middle Ages

• 1200 – 1809  Swedish Rule

• 1809 ‐ 1917   Russian Rule

• 1917   Independet Finland1918 Finnish Civil War 

1994  membership of EU

2002 euro (before markka)

History1939 – 1944 

War against Sovet Union (Russia)

0,5 Milj Finns against 1,5 Milj

0,4 Milj ”refugees” in Finland, population 4 milj.

5 billion€ was paid to SU 1952

Finns export• Hiteck like Nokia mobile

• Music

• Design• Paper• Shipsbuilding• Metal (company Valmet)

What are Finns like?

Known Finns

Do and don’t

Do anything you like!

Don’t visit towns in midsommer

Germany

Gottfried & Tom

Do you know something aboutGermany?

Gottfried was born in Völklingen – Saarland

Tom was born in Bad Mergentheim – BA WÜ

Some basic facts

• Federal State• 82 Mio Inhabitants• Capital is Berlin• Merkel – Chancler• Wulff – President• 5 Parties in „Bundestag“ national Parliament –

Governed by Coalition of CD & Lib.• Christdemocrats, Sozialdemocrats, Liberals, The Left, The Green

Party

History

• 1871 – „Deutsches Kaiserreich“ founded• 1918 – Revolution – „Weimarer Republik“

– parliamental democracy• 1933 Destruction of Democracy and

Dictatorship of Nationalsocialists• 1949 Federal Republic of Germany (BRD)

and German Democratic Republic (DDR)• 1989 Reunion

Some important dates and personsin german history

• 1517 Reformation – Martin Luther• 18. -19. Century of „Enlightenment“

– (Immanuel Kant)• 19. Century of social ideas and social

movement– (Karl Marx, August Bebel, Rosa

Luxemburg…)

Cultur

• Castle of „Neuschwanstein“• Schwarzwälder Kirsch Torte• „Bier“ und „German Bread“• Musicians

– Johann Sebastian Bach– Ludwig van Beethoven– Scorpions, Rammstein, Tokio Hotel

Cultur

• Literatur– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe– Friedrich Schiller– Thomas und Heinrich Mann– Bertold Brecht,– Hermann Hesse, …

• Architectures– Bauhaus: Gropius, Mies van de Rohe…

Economy

• 1. sector: 2,5 %• 2. sector: 25,8 %• 3. sector: 71, 9 %• German economy is on place four

worldwide (BIP)• „Export-Wordchampionship“ 2003 – 2008• Most important: Automobile, Electro,

Machine-Building, Chemical, Insurance-Services

Economy

• Big difference between eastern and western states in Germany

• Unemployment rate – in „Baden Württemberg“: currently 5 %– in „Berlin“: currently 13 %

Specials• We don´t love:

– British Hooligans– Bayern München– Talk about the „Oktoberfest“

• We love:very long words:– Mundharmonikareparaturkostenquittung– Verkehrswegeplanungbeschleunigungsgesetz– Soccer– Cars

Gintautas and Gediminas Riga, 2010.10.05

LITHUANIALITHUANIA

REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIAREPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA

Country in Europe, the Baltic Sea in south-east coast. It is bordered by the following countries:

Latvia (land border length - 588 km of the sea wall -22 km)

Belarus (border length - 677 km)

Poland (border length - 104 km)

Russia (Kaliningrad) (land border length - 255 km)

LITHUANIAN POPULATIONLITHUANIAN POPULATION

Population: 3 394 000thIn Lithuania are 115 nationalities: Lithuanians - 83.5% Polish - 6.7% Russians - 6.3% Belarusians - 1.2% Representatives of other nationalities 2.3%

LITHUANIA REGIONAL MAPLITHUANIA REGIONAL MAP

RELIGIONRELIGION

Roman Catholics - 79.0% (752.5 thousand)

Orthodox - 4.1% (141.8 thousand)

Old Believers - 0.8% (27.1 thousand)

Evangelical Lutheran - 0.6% (19.6 thousand)

Reformed churches - 0.2% (7.1 thousand)

Jehovah's Witnesses - 0.1% (3.5 thousand)

Sunni Muslim - 0.1% (2.9 thousand)

MONEYMONEY

ECONOMYECONOMY

Work population:agriculture - 25 %manufacturing & construction - 28 %

chemistryfoodoil and fuelenergetic sector

services - 47 %

HISTORICAL DATESHISTORICAL DATES 1009 m. first time Lithuania name was

mentioned in documents 1918 02 16 Lithuania Republic was restored

the first time 1940 occupied by Soviet Union 1989 08 23 Baltic States Way 1990 03 11 Lithuania Republic was restored

last time 2004 03 29 Lithuania became a NATO member 2004 05 01 Lithuania joined the European

Union

SPORTSPORT

Basketball is second religion of Litnuania

Virgilijus Alekna “ŽUVĖDRA“4 times World and Europe Championsof dance

FAMOUS PAINTER AND MUSICIAN KONSTANTINAS ČIURLIONIS

LITHUANIAN DANCES AND SONGS FESTIVAL INCLUDED IN UNESSCO.

Hill of Crosses

MILITARY EXPOSITION

THANK YOU!THANK YOU!

Economical perspective

RepublicRepublic ofof PolandPoland

1.05.2004

Total area:  312,679 km2

Population:   38,482,919 (July 2009 est.)

Head of state:  Bronisław KOMOROWSKI

Prime minister: Donald TUSK (Civic Platform)

The Parliament: 460‐member lower house and a 100‐

member Senate

Famous Polish

BISON

SHIFTING SAND DUNES

What is Prime Minister watching for?

MIRA

JOSEFJOSEFJOSEF DAREK

ARTUR

ARTUR

ARTUR

ARTUR

DAREK

JOSEF

MIRA

SPAINSPAIN

Yolanda Yolanda MorMoríínnFelipe LFelipe Lóópezpez

SPAIN

Location Population History Economy Culture Typical Spanish

South West of Europe

France

Andorra

Border with

Gibraltar

Portugal

Marroc

LOCATION South-western Europe

Bordering Portugal, Andorra, France, Marroc and Gibraltar.

Atlantic ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Cantabric Sea.

505.957 sq km.

4.964 km of coastline

80% Iberian Peninsula

17 administrative regions, 15 of which are on mainland Spain.

Land of immense geographical diversity: green forests, mountain ranges, endless arid plains and long, sandy beaches.

POPULATION

3rd European Country per km.

5th European Country by population: 46 mm.

Real Name: Kingdom of Spain

Nick name: Spain

Capital: Madrid

Ethnic mixture: East Europe, African, Central & South American, China.

HISTORY 1100 BC. Phoenician

228 BC. Carthaginians

218-220 BC. Romans

409. Visigoths

711. Arabs

756. Independent Emirate is established in Iberia, with Córdoba as its capital. Struggles between Arabian & Christians

1212. Decisive Christian victory (Navas de Tolosa battle)

1492. King Fernando and Queen Isabel's army capture Granada Christopher Columbus sets sail on his voyage of discovery.

HISTORY

1702-14. Bourbon dynasty accedes to Spanish throne.

1808-14. Peninsular War against Napoleon's occupying force.

1931. Spanish king is forced to abdicate. Spain becomes a republic.

1936-39. Spanish Civil War ends with General Franco's victory. Dictatorshipestablished.

1975. Franco dies, Juan Carlos de Borbón is proclamed King. Spain becomes constitutional monarchy. Democracy would bring membership of the European Community.

1978. Spanish Constitution

1982. Spain joins NATO, becoming a member of a mainstream European organization.

1995. Spain joins the European Community.

2004. Islamic terrorists strike the Atocha train station in Madrid with bombs, killing nearly 300 and precipitating a change in government.

ECONOMY

Unemployment average: 20% (4,6 mm)

Minimum wage: 630 euros

Wage average: 1150 euros.

Economy Mining

Metal Rocks Minerals

Industry Textil Iron Steel Automotive Aerospace Shipbuilding Mechanical

Engineering

Energy

Fossil fuel hydroelectric

Nuclear & renewable energy

Turism

Agriculture

Services

CULTURE

Official language: Spanish (2nd language in theworld)

Regional official languages: Catalan, Gallego, Basque and Valenciano.

Religion: Catholic, islamic, atheist…

CULTURE

Writers: Cervantes, Antonio Machado, Federico G. Lorca, Miguel Hernández…

Painters & Sculptors: Goya, Velázquez, Sorolla, Picasso, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalí …

Sports: football (Iker Casillas), basket (Gasol), tennis (Nadal), cycling (Alberto Contador),…

Musicians & Dancers: Paco de Lucía, Manuel de Falla, Albéniz, Julio & Enrique Iglesias, Sara Baras...

Spanish Cinema personalities: Antonio Banderas, Javier Bardem, Penélope Cruz, Luis Buñuel, Almodóvar, Amenábar…

Typical Spanishbut…

Spain is a lot of things more!!!

Traditional wine cellar 

Thank you for your attention!

Enjoy Spain &… ¡salud!