Book of Your Life

26.03.2024.

The Book of Your Life (BoYL) project aims to support the integration of international students arriving at ELTE with the local student community, promote cultural inclusion and encourage acceptance and tolerance among local and international students.

BoYL contributes to these goals by developing the services of the ELTE University Library and Archives based on the needs of the student community. In a broader context, the project shall also provide insight on how university libraries can become safe spaces for international cultural relations as well as how to raise their members’ awareness on the cultural heritage treasures safeguarded by them.

The BoYL project includes the creation of a new student community space in the University Library and Archives' historical building in Ferenciek tere, Budapest. This space will host a series of events directed at students (especially those arriving from foreign countries but also their local peers) as well as university support staff in everyday contact with them.

BoYL is implemented in the framework of The Europe Challenge 2024 run by the European Cultural Foundation and its partners.

ABOUT THE EUROPE CHALLENGE

The Europe Challenge programme unites European libraries and their communities to jointly develop creative solutions for addressing various challenges facing Europe, such as social exclusion, inequality, disinformation, and the climate crisis. The annual program was first launched in 2020 by the Amsterdam-based European Cultural Foundation and its partners (Fondazione Cariplo, the Scottish Library and Information Council and Arts Council England). In each case, the respective libraries respond to the problems raised by the local community. They may not only receive financial support for the implementation of their programmes but their representatives can also participate in the related mentoring programme for skill and knowledge development.

For the 3rd, 2024 edition of the programme, 55 institutions have been selected from all over Europe and awarded over EUR 466,000 in total by the European Cultural Foundation and its partners. Based on the jury’s decision, Eötvös Loránd University is one of the grantees and represents the only successful applicant from Hungary in the programme’s history so far. More about The Europe Challenge

ABOUT THE BOOK OF YOUR LIFE PROJECT

BoYL, running from January to September 2024 at ELTE, is implemented jointly by the University Library and Archives, the University Students’ Union (EHÖK), the International Strategy Office and the University Strategy Office. An essential objective of the programme is to launch initiatives which are in line with ELTE's Internationalisation Strategy, and which will be embedded in the University's practice well beyond the actual project period.

International students of ELTE arrive from over 100 countries; they form more than 10% of the currently enrolled members of the University Library and Archives.In line with ELTE's Internationalisation Strategy, BoYL places great emphasis on enhancing international students’ mental well-being and encouraging multicultural relationships.

In the first phase of the project, international and domestic students brainstorm together with university support staff about what kind of activities would make their daily life in the library and the university environment more convenient. Also, students can co-create the new community space in a physical sense: they can join creative workshops with a sustainability aspect, producing furniture for the community space.

In the second phase of the project, from late spring 2024 onwards, multilingual thematic activities will be organized in the new community space at the University Library and Archives, including for example interactive lectures, round tables, book exchange and pop-up exhibitions. Mobilisation of the student community will also be done through online campaigns via ELTE’s social media. The observations of the participatory project will be widely shared by ELTE with its domestic and international partners.

Kick-off presentation about the project

ACTUAL EVENTS

18 April 2024: Intercultural training for ELTE support staff
18 April, 2024: UNICycle upcycling workshop 3. – participants will renovate and upcycle old university furniture such as chairs, shelves and more for the new community space (more)
25 April 2024: Community space inauguration and pop-up exhibition opening (details coming soon)
May 2024: Student roundtable discussion on the ELTE Africa Strategy (details coming soon)
May 2024: Intercultural training for ELTE support staff
June 2024: African Poetry Evening (details coming soon)
July 2024: Programmes of the Budapest Summer University (details coming soon)
5 September 2024: Library Orientation Day for international students
23–24 September 2024. Closing event of BoYL and CHARM-EU Libraries meetup (details coming soon)

The organizer reserves the right to implement changes in the event schedule.

PREVIOUS EVENTS

28 Februray 2024: Intercultural training for ELTE support staff
1 March 2024: BoYL Kick-off Event (more)
4–31 March 2024: ‘Book of Your Life’ social media campaign: book recommendations by students (Facebook)
8–31 March 2024: 1^st Call for Pop-up exhibition concepts (more)
20–31 March 2024: Presentation of wall art projects designed for the community space on ELTE social media (more)
26 March 2024: UNICycle upcycling workshop 1. – participants will renovate and upcycle old university furniture such as chairs, shelves and more for the new community space (more)
10 April 2024: Book of Your Life @ Cultural Connection Day organized by University Students’ Union (EHÖK)
11 April, 2024: UniCycle upcycling workshop 2. – participants will renovate and upcycle old university furniture such as chairs, shelves and more for the new community space (more)