Freshers’ Party 2014: Centre for European and Latin American Studies

French language students of the Centre for European and Latin American Studies (CELAS), Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) organized a fresher’s party on Saturday 6 September, 2014 at Nelson Mandela House, Mujeeb Bagh, JMI.

It was like a déjà-vu for students of Advanced Diploma and Diploma in French who organized the party to welcome the new entrants and to get to know each other.

Welcoming students inside the programme hall was a multi-colour graffiti inscribed in French as “Bonjour” meaning hello. After formal inauguration, participants exhibited their talent by singing, dancing, reciting songs, ghazals and poems. There were some fun-rounds and question-answer sessions as well.

Osama Khalid and Nudrat Huda Khan of the Certificate in French were chosen as Mr. Fresher and Miss Fresher respectively. French teacher Mr Alexis Barrau announced their names and also gave them prizes. Mr Barrau called the programme “very entertaining”. I am delighted to see students doing so wonderfully well during an event like a fresher’s party, said he.

Prof. Sonya Surabhi Gupta, Director of CELAS and French teacher Ms Maitree Chatterjee were also present in the programme for some time. The half-day long programme was fun-filled and enjoyable. Lunch and cold drinks were also arranged.

It should be noted that the Centre established to promote research and teaching on Latin America and the Caribbean as well as on different European countries like Spain, Portugal, Italy, France and Russia undertakes various academic activities.

In view of the growing relations between India and Latin America, the Centre started a two-year M. Phil course in European Studies and Latin American Studies in 2011 to carry on research in India on issues related to the countries of Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and to foster better relations with them.

Under its language proficiency programme, the Centre has been teaching French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian and Catalan languages at Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma levels besides providing optional paper teachers for some of these languages for various undergraduate courses at the university.

After passing out from these language courses, many students land in good jobs and some of them go for higher studies in India and abroad.