On 28 September, as part of our eTwinning project “Life Lessons from European Proverbs”, the partner schools gathered online to celebrate the European Day of Languages 2026 through a lively and inspiring Google Meet event.
The virtual meeting brought together students from different European countries and transformed the screen into a colourful cultural festival. Representatives from each partner school, Liceul Teoretic „Radu Vlădescu” Pătârlagele, Romania, Varnenska morska gimnazia „Sv. Nikolai Chudotvorec” Varna, Bulgaria, IES Los Neveros, Huétor Vega, Spain, MBA Okulları Pendik in Istanbul, Turkey, Pijarskie Liceum Ogólnokształcące Królowej Pokoju, Łowicz, Poland and XVI. gimnazija, Zagreb, Croatia, presented a selection of traditional proverbs previously shared in a collaborative Padlet, https://padlet.com/frinculeasaclaudiaemilia/life-lessons-from-european-proverbs-oz01yr1tmmwq8m69 , and introduced their international partners to the wisdom, stories and values hidden behind these familiar expressions.
The students explained the meanings of their favourite proverbs and shared the cultural background behind them. They also discussed how the lessons expressed by these traditional sayings could still apply to modern teenage life. The participants compared different cultural metaphors and discovered that, although the proverbs came from different languages and traditions, many of them expressed similar universal ideas such as determination, friendship, respect, responsibility and perseverance.
One of the most interesting parts of the meeting was hearing the proverbs pronounced in their original languages. The students listened carefully to unfamiliar sounds and enjoyed discovering the similarities and differences between European languages. They reacted to one another's presentations, asked questions and shared their own interpretations.
The live interaction created a warm and friendly atmosphere of curiosity and enthusiasm. The students used English as a common language and communicated with their European peers in a genuine and meaningful context, focusing on expressing their ideas as clearly as possible, understanding others and building connections.
The meeting also showed that language learning became much more meaningful when students used English for a real purpose. The geographical distance between the partner schools seemed to disappear as students shared preferences, feelings, laughter, ideas and cultural experiences.
The online meeting of the eTwinning project dedicated to the European Day of Languages 2026 became an opportunity for both students and teachers to celebrate linguistic diversity, appreciate their cultural heritage and discover the common values that connected people across Europe.
Through proverbs, the participants learned that different languages express similar life lessons and that cultural diversity has the potential to bring people closer together. The event strengthened communication skills, intercultural awareness and the sense of belonging to a wider European community.
The first online meeting ended with enthusiasm and a renewed sense of connection among the partner schools. It was a memorable celebration of languages, culture, friendship and European values.
