Student Exchange Project Between Morley and Roznov, Czech Republic
Going the extra mile in the name of education was the experience of four students from Morley. Accompanied by Environmental Scientist, Melvyn Rutter, Jenny Burnham, 18, Jonathan Kinnear, 17, and Scott Midgley, 17, Emma Wallis, 22, travelled to the Czech Republic, as environmental science students on the first leg of a cultural exchange. The visit was to gain valuable insight into the mountainous natural wildlife environment, as well as the social and economic environments in this Central European Country.
The majority of their visit was spent in Roznov, a picturesque town surrounded by mountains, about two hundred and fifty miles east of Prague. Here they received a civic greeting from the vice-mayor Franta Sulgan in which salutations from Morley town council were given along with some Yorkshire tea, Microscopes and other scientific equipment donated by Melvyn for the town’s environment centre. Mr Sulgan then discussed the areas surrounding Roznov; places that may be of particular interest to them, what wildlife was there and what conservation projects had been put in place. It was apparent from his speech that the vice-mayor was a man who held not only great knowledge, but also immense civic and national pride. This trait, which seems such an archaic attitude in England, was shared by so many of the people the group met in the Czech Republic.
The group walked in the mountains around Roznov, which offer spectacular views well worth the aching muscles that accompany the climb to see them. The students were also shown areas of highly protected woodland. These are areas of preservation, because of the many rare habitats, species of flowers, birds, amphibians and insects. The region is home to bears, wolves and lynx.
But nature was not the only attraction at on these walks. Standing 1129m above sea level, the mountain Radhost offers a glimpse at the cultural past of Roznov; at the its summit there stands the Chapel of Cyrilius and Methodius a place once a popular destination for pilgrimages is not far above the Monument of Radegast, the pagan god of Beer and Thunder.
On the Sunday the group were able to draw direct comparisons to the English environment by conducting the same stream tests they have done many times in England. Again, accompanied by Franta and the other volunteers they caught many aquatic creatures from various rivers and streams. Even the cleanest water the students had tested back home could not compete with the rivers here, which were densely populated by various invertebrates along with many, many fish and rather large crayfish.
The following day the group made their television debuts on the local Czech news. For once though this was positive press about English tourists and these particular visitors involvement with the local environment centre.
The last few days of the expedition were spent in the Capital Prague. Here they could drink up culture and history of the country through seeing the beautifully crafted Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, Astronomical clock, churches, towers and other such ornate buildings that saturate the city.
Click on the Photo above to see the CZ TV Clip of the groups visit to Roznov
At this stage the exchange was a very small project funded by the people directly involved. But for Jonathan who had previously never been abroad, Jenny whose experience of other cultures was mainly based on beach holidays and Scott who had never before spent this much time away from his parents the rewards have been huge. Next year Melvyn’s company Y.E.S, Franta, and the people from the environment centre in Roznov are hoping to raise funds to not only have a larger group visit the Czech Republic but also to have some Czech students visit England in the start of what will be a five year project.
Hopefully, as the English students learnt that The Czech Republic has more to offer than Skodas, so too the Czech students will learn there is more to Yorkshire than flat caps. Anyone interested in joining in with next years exchanges, both here in Yorkshire and also in The Czech Republic, then contact us.