Chigwell celebrates the Festival of the Foreign Word

On Thursday we celebrated the Festival of The Foreign Word, shining light on the vibrant world of languages and literature, bridging different cultures through the magic of words.

Our talented participants transported us to different corners of the globe with their captivating recitations and performances.

From the enchanting French poetry sang by Amelia Randall in "L’Invitation au voyage" to the German moving verses of Sophia Kuhl in "Der Panther" by Rainer Maria Rilke, we were truly fascinated by the beauty of language.

Juliana Zajda's excerpt from "Le Deuxième Sexe" by Simone de Beauvoir read in both Polish and French - "On ne naît pas femme, on le devient" (French Literature) left us reflecting on the challenges still faced by women nowadays while Thomas Rea gave a hearfelt rendition of "Te digo adiós, amor" by Rafael Alberti (Spanish Poetry).

In this celebration of linguistic diversity, Kylan Athithan emerged as the winner with his powerful and emotional performance of “Feldeinsamkeit” (Alone in Fields) set in music by Brahms (German Song).

A special mention goes to: Zara Abbas with "Parinday (Bird)" by Allama Iqbal (Urdu Poetry), Lily Zhang with “将进酒” by Li Bai (李白), and Stasa Vuksanovic with “ Kravka Bajka” by Desanka Maksimovic who added an extra layer of cultural richness to the event.

This festival not only showcased the linguistic and artistic talents of our students but also emphasised the importance of embracing diverse languages and cultures.

A heartfelt thank you to all who participated, supported and attended this enriching event. Stay tuned for more cultural celebrations at Chigwell School!

Written by: Leyla Chery, teacher of Languages