MYKOLAIV, AUGUST, 28th, 2009, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE – A Centre of Greek Culture was opened in Mykolaiv State University n.a. Sukhomlynskiy yesterday 27 August, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

The agency was informed about it today 28 August at the Department of Nationalities, Mykolaiv Oblast State Administration.

The Centre was initiated by the Mykolaiv Oblast Greek Organization “New Hellas” (President Aleksandr Mospanenko) with the support of Department of Nationalities. The aim of the Centre is to teach the youth of Mykolaiv the Modern Greek language, Greek culture and traditions.

No everyone who wants, not only the students of the university, have an opportunity to study Modern Greek. This will open new opportunities for increasing the mobility of students, widen the borders and satisfy the need of the Greek of Mykolaiv Region in learning their culture and language.

A workshop on “Problems and Prospects of Learning the Languages of National Minorities in Mykolaiv Oblast” was held within the framework of the event.

The Oblast provides favourable conditions for the operation of 36 national cultural communities and 7 centres of national culture. There are also Sunday schools functioning in the Oblast: German, Armenian, Jewish, Korean, Czech, Turkish, Polish, Bulgarian, Kurd, Arabic, and Azerbaijani, where students can learn both their mother tongue and Ukrainian.