Pictured left to right: Dr Christoph Laucht; Christiane Günther; German Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Susanne Baumann; Honorary Consul for Germany and Switzerland in Wales; Ms Marlies Hoecherl, Professor Richard Thomas.
The importance of learning languages was highlighted during a recent two-day celebration at Swansea University.
Swansea University’s Modern Languages, Translation and Interpreting team hosted the Gŵyl Ieithoedd/ Festival of Languages, welcoming nearly 300 pupils from 13 schools across south-west Wales who are studying French, German and/or Spanish in years 11 to 13.
Officially opened by the Lord Mayor of Swansea, the event featured masterclasses, taster sessions and a panel discussion with current students, language graduates and language professionals from Swansea, Bangor and Cardiff Universities.
The following day, Germany’s Ambassador to the UK, Susanne Baumann, visited the university’s Singleton Park Campus and met Swansea University’s Vice-Chancellor. She then took part in a discussion with undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD students from Modern Languages, Translation and Interpreting, History, International Relations and Politics, exploring geopolitics, careers in diplomacy, UK-German relations and language education.
Also in attendance were the Honorary Consul for Germany and Switzerland in Wales, Ms Marlies Hoecherl, and Ms Irina Speck, Head of the Department for Economic Affairs, Energy and Global Issues at the German embassy in London.
The German Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Susanne Baumann, said: “I am truly inspired by the outstanding teaching of German at Swansea University. The enthusiasm and dedication of both lecturers and students demonstrate just how vibrant German studies are, and why German remains an excellent choice at universities across the UK.
“Languages are the key tool for communication and cooperation, which matter more than ever in times of profound global upheaval.
“The Kensington Treaty, the new UK-German friendship treaty, reflects our ever-closer ties. Yet treaties alone do not build strong partnerships - people do. I had the pleasure of meeting many of those people today at Swansea University, motivated students and passionate teachers who show how engaging and rewarding language learning can be.”
Christiane Günther, Senior Lecturer in German at Swansea University, said: “It was a great pleasure to welcome the Ambassador and her delegation to Swansea University. I was truly impressed by the thoughtful and well-informed questions our students raised with the panel.
“It particularly warmed my heart to hear such a strong emphasis on the importance of speaking multiple languages. I am especially pleased that, at Swansea, we offer French, German, and Spanish as our core languages, alongside additional provision in Catalan, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, and Portuguese. This rich linguistic provision provides our students with an excellent foundation for their future careers as multilingual professionals.”