Library Assmebly

16 November 2009

MEDIA INVITATION & PHOTOCALL

LARGEST RUSSIAN LANGUAGE CHILDREN’S LIBRARY IN SCOTLAND OPENS IN EDINBURGH

The number of Russian speakers in Edinburgh has steadily grown in the last five years causing an increased demand for Russian language courses.

In response to this demand, Russian Edinburgh, a local charity, has been providing Russian language courses in a fun, stimulating environment for children aged 2-15 years old. The demand for this programme has grown more than five times over the past five years, which resulted in extending the school's curriculum and open new courses for children as well as for adults by, attracting more permanent teaching staff.

Russian Edinburgh began in May 2004 by several enthusiastic mothers and has been successful in finding premises and funding with support of the Edinburgh Voluntary Organisations Council (EVOC) and the City of Edinburgh Council.

Russian Edinburgh will be celebrating the opening of the new library of books for children in Russian, which counts more than 600 titles. The books were donated by the Samovar Publishing House and by parents with the help of Russian Consulate in Edinburgh. The event will be attended by representatives of the Samovar Publishing House, EVOC, the Russian Consulate, the Scotland-Russia Forum and the Edinburgh City Council.

Date: Saturday 28 November

Time: 11 am

Location: Drummond High Community School, 41 Bellevue Place, Edinburgh