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Welcome to English Language Evenings

English Language Evenings is an independent, open, public English-language lecture forum in Moscow, having hosted more than 220 meetings and 170+ different speakers since starting in 1998.

Meeting usually twice a month from September/October to late May, ELE hosts (mostly) native English speakers, often prominent and/or interesting individuals from Moscow's greater English-language and/or foreign-resident community, visitors, et al, giving lectures on topics of their own choosing.

Among the PURPOSES of ELE is the providing of an intelligent-intellectual evening in Moscow in English, the presentation of a wide variety of topics and speakers, and the promotion of more personal contacts between the speakers and Russians in Moscow. ELE is, in the context of Moscow, a kind of distant descendent of the Lyceum Movement started in 19th century America, and a direct one of "Penny University" in Santa Cruz, California.

All visitors, Russians and "expats" are welcome!

The Host

The HOST of the club is the founder, Stephen Lapeyrouse, author of "Towards the Spiritual Convergence of America and Russia",essayist, private English language tutor, and editor for newspaper English; American.

Speakers

ELE has now hosted 220+ meetings with more than 170+ SPEAKERS from many countries: from astronauts to adventurers, ambassadors and attaches of various embassies; Fulbright scholars; visiting and resident professors; well-known Moscow journalists (from the Moscow Times, Moscow News, Russia Journal, etc.) and international TV and radio correspondents (BBC, VOA, Sky News); social activists; heads of institutions (e.g. AmCham, Moscow Carnegie Center, Amnesty International), and just interesting individuals, et al, on a wide variety of lecture topics. To view a full list of previous speakers/lectures, click here.

Attendance Fee

The lectures COST 100 rubles to attend. And since money can often cause misunderstandings, please let it be stated clearly that this is just a small "community institution", the personal project of the host, and is in no way intended to make money. Part of each evening's money goes as a modest support to the library itself, to the speakers (as an honoraria of thanks for their time and effort), and lastly towards various ELE expenses. Should anyone have a problem attending due to the entrance fee, please simply mention this to the host, and a discrete arrangement for free entrance can be made. Many speakers' honoraria over the years have gone in their names to well-known Russian charities: ROOF, ARC, Moscow Animals, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Nastenka, et al.)

Contacts

Lectures, travelers, writers, adventurers, et al! If you would like to give a public lecture in Moscow, contact the host of ELE. Contact: sllapeyrouse@hotmail.com

Location

Lectures are held in the: Chekhov Library/Cultural Center Strastnoi Bulvar 6 Moscow (Just north of the Metro Chekhovskaya street exit -- somewhat across from the large cinema at Pushkin Square -- look for the "6" on the building; go through the tunnel/arch to the back side of the building. Take the first gate/door immediately as you exit the tunnel.) Click here for map!

Time

Meetings are usually, but not always, Fridays, so pay close attention to dates! Lectures usually start at 19:00, followed by Q&As, discussion, comments, etc; and ending about 21:00.

Notifications on ELE activities

TO BE ON THE FREE EMAILING LIST AND TO AUTOMATICALLY BE NOTIFIED OF UPCOMING ELE MEETINGS, CHANGES, ETC, SIMPLY SEND AN EMAIL TO: EnglishLanguageEveningsMoscow-Subscribe@yahoogroups.com

A Selection of Publications on ELE activities

English Language Evenings on Wikipedia

Passport Magazine on Solzhenitsyn talk

NOTE: The 17th season, 2014/2015, will begin in mid/late September 2014, but the schedule will probably NOT appear here till the end of the first week of September.

To review this past season, 2013/2014 -- 16th Season, see below.

To view the 2012/2013 season speakers, click here.

NOTE: There are sometimes unplanned but necessary changes in lecturers and/or ELE dates. This is rare, but it does happen. If you are on the email list (see above) you will be notified asap; if not, it is recommended to check back here before a lecture to confirm. Efforts are made to let people know when changes occur; but best is to check here just in case.

September 20, 2013 "Boring Lecture? Change Your Mind! Lessons Learned from 15 years of Lectures with ELE" You will never experience a lecture the same way again! Stephen Lapeyrouse, founder and host of ELE, author, essayist

October 4, 2013 "Awaken Your Super Human Potential: Control Your Mind and You Can Control Your World" A Lecture by Gabriel Kozulan, Director of the Australian Cultural Center in Moscow, and Organizer of the Australian Odyssey Festival

October 18, 2013 "Contemporary Country Music and the American Idea: Part II" David Firestein, Vice President, East-West Institute

November 1, 2013 "US-Russia Relations after Snowden" George Krasnov, President of Russia & America Goodwill Association

November 15, 2013 "Not Your Average Girl: My Journey to Moscow" Thabang Motsei, News Anchor and International Correspondent with Russia Today Please see the photo report on Thabi's lecture here

November 29, 2013 "West vs. East: Did the Cold War end, and what is the next step?" Liam McGrath, EL teacher, Blogger, Student of Faculty of Russian Studies, Sheffield University, UK, Host Радио Стрим London

December 20, 2013 "Is Moscow Haunted: Ghost Stories in Moscow." Stephen Wilson, Scot, Author, English Language Teacher, Storyteller

December 20, 2013 at 21:15> "December 20, 2013 ELE Get-Together" For details click here.

2014

January 17, 2014 "An Actor's Life in Russia, the UK and the US" Jonathan Bex, Artistic Director of Moscow English Theatre

January 31, 2014 "Building a Community for All: How a non-disabled person from Chicago became an advocate for persons with disabilities in Russia." Denise Roza, Founder and Director of the Disability NGO Perspektiva and Director of Best Buddies Russia

February 14, 2014 "After 23 years in Russia; I am still a foreigner!" John Kopiski, Farmer, Extremist, Pensioner; Brit living in Russia since 1991, Russian Citizen since 1997. Founder agricultural and tourist complex Bogdarya.

February 28, 2014 "The Great Patriotic War in Western Popular Culture" James Connolly, formerly US Army, EL teacher, translator, editor, voice actor

March 14, 2014 "On Being a Successful American Entrepreneur, Mom, and Author in Russia: 17 Years Experience" Teri Lindeberg, CEO of Recruitment Firm Staffwell, Mother of 3 boys, and Author of Making Perfect

March 28, 2014 "Looking at Faces" David Wansbrough

April 11, 2014 "Jane Austen and Russia" Tim Bullamore is the owner, editor and publisher of Jane Austen’s Regency World, a bimonthly magazine dedicated to all things Austen, Regency and Georgian. He is a journalist and lectures worldwide.

April 18, 2014 "Russian Australia's Strange Geography, Weird Animals and Strange Weird People" Nicholai Drozdov and David Wansbrough

TUESDAY April 29, 2014 "The Ancient Persian Faith: Zoroastrianism" Abolghasem Esmailpour, Professor of Ancient Iranian Culture and Languages, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran -- author, mythologist

May 16, 2014 "Treating Psychological Trauma in Russia" Marilyn Murray, American, Author, US Psychologist

May 30, 2014 NB: THIS WILL BE THE LAST LECTURE OF THIS SEASON "Why Russians Don't Smile?" Luc Jones, Partner, Antal Russia; Author: "Why Russians Don't Smile? -- A Guide to Doing Business in Russia and the CIS" (2013)

TENTATIVE talks in 17th season. There are about 7 pending speakers. Dates will not be set until first week of September.

Tentative: September 19, 2014 "Pacca from a Peculiar, Pro-Russian American after 24 Years" Erin Bouma, EL Teacher, author, editor

Tentative: October 10, 2014 "Custine and Co: Foreign Writers in Russia through the Ages" Jennifer Eremeeva, Author, Blogger

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