"Communication is not universal." How the Slovo 21 project supported intercultural competencies in practice
The Slovo 21 project, titled Strengthening Intercultural Competencies, helped civil servants better understand people from different cultural backgrounds and manage the situations they encounter in their work. The project concludes this August. In this interview, Kateřina Kopečná, the project's lead methodologist, discusses the project's progress, her experience as a trainer, and why there is no universal guide to communicating with others.
Family Next Door participant: I would sign up again! It's a great project
She spent more than 7 years living abroad. But after returning to the Czech Republic, Veronika Vlachová missed being in contact with people of various nationalities. That is why she decided to sign up for the Family Next Door project: "I see it as a great project that gives people from the Czech Republic the opportunity not only to get a glimpse into the stories of others, but also for families from foreign countries to experience a Czech home environment," she adds.
"I love adventure and good food. The Family Next Door is perfect for me," says the 19-year-old Ukrainian refugee.
"I originally thought I would only stay in the Czech Republic for a few days. I needed some peace and quiet to study for my final exams because the situation surrounding the war was stressing me out so much," says 19-year-old Ukrainian Viktor Palenychak. He left his home country two days after the Russian invasion began, but he never returned. He arrived in the Czech Republic all on his own.
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