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==Purposes==
==Purposes==
The purpose of ELE is to provide intelligent, interesting evenings in Moscow in English of ideas, stories and people, in an informal, friendly atmosphere, where the speakers and the public audience are able to interact over a wide variety of topics, allowing for personal contacts and relations between the mostly expat speakers and Russians in Moscow.
The purpose of ELE is to provide intelligent, interesting evenings in Moscow in English of ideas, stories and people, in an informal, friendly atmosphere, where the speakers and the public audience are able to interact over a wide variety of topics, allowing for personal contacts and relations between the mostly expat speakers and Russians in Moscow.
In the context of Moscow, ELE is a distant descendent of the [[Lyceum movement]] started in 19th century America, and a direct relative to the “Penny University” <ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/375/|title= Penny University}}</ref> in [[Santa Cruz, California|Santa Cruz]], California, founded in 1974 by American historian [[Page Smith]], artist and art historian Mary Holmes,<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jan/28/local/me-holmes28|title= Mary Holmes, 91; Taught Eccentric Theories of Art|work= Los Angeles Times|date= January 28, 2002}}</ref> Dr Paul Lee, philosopher and author,<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://ecotopia.org/about/paul-lee-cv/|title= Dr Paul A. Lee – Resume and Curriculum Vita}}</ref> and others, and is still ongoing. The host of ELE participated in the Penny University for many years.<ref>Frolenkova, Antonina. “Penny University” Moscow Style. ''The Moscow News'', January 27 – February 2, 2006.</ref>
In the context of Moscow, ELE is a distant descendent of the [[Lyceum movement]] started in 19th century America, and a direct relative to the “Penny University” <ref>{{Cite web|url= http://www.santacruzpl.org/history/articles/375/|title= Penny University}}</ref> in [[Santa Cruz, California|Santa Cruz]], California, founded in 1974 by American historian [[Page Smith]], artist and art historian Mary Holmes,<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jan/28/local/me-holmes28|title= Mary Holmes, 91; Taught Eccentric Theories of Art|work= Los Angeles Times|date= January 28, 2002}}</ref> Dr Paul Lee, philosopher and author,<ref>{{Cite web|url= http://ecotopia.org/about/paul-lee-cv/|title= Dr Paul A. Lee – Resume and Curriculum Vita}}</ref> and others, and is still ongoing. The host of ELE participated in the Penny University for many years.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://elemoscow.net/AmReflect/MoscowNews_on_ELE.html|title= “Penny University” Moscow Style|work= The Moscow News|date= January 27 – February 2, 2006}}</ref>


==Organization==
==Organization==

Revision as of 19:29, 12 February 2014

English Language Evenings (ELE) is an independent, public, English-language lecture forum established in 1998 by Stephen Lapeyrouse in Moscow, Russia.

History

ELE was founded in 1998 by American Stephen Lapeyrouse – author, essayist, editor, private English language tutor, and still host of ELE. (In the first three seasons, 1998–2000, the forum was called “English Language Discussion Club” – ELDC.)[1]

By its 16th season (2013/2014) ELE had hosted more than 230 meetings with more than 170 different speakers from some 12 different countries: from astronauts to adventurers; from ambassadors to attaches of various embassies; visiting and resident professors; Fulbright scholars; writers and poets; well-known Moscow journalists (from e.g. The Moscow Times, The Moscow News, Russian Journal) and international TV and radio correspondents (from the BBC, VOA, Sky News, RT, et al.); social activists; heads of institutions (AmCham, Carnegie Moscow Center, Amnesty International, et al.) and just interesting individuals, on a very wide variety of lecture topics.

The list of ELE speakers includes Australian poet and artist David Wansbrough, American diplomat and scholar David Firestein, journalist and blogger John Helmer, philosopher William Lane Craig, US diplomat James Warlick, journalist and editor Lynn Berry, American scholar of public diplomacy John H. Brown, Irish ambassador Justin Harman, Scottish author Ian Mitchell[2], NASA astronaut Benjamin Alvin Drew, Australian ambassador Margaret Twomey, American writer Jeff Parker, Hollywood producer Bob Van Ronkel, humanitarian aid worker Carl Wilkens, British historian Geoffrey Roberts, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s son Yermolai Solzhenitsyn[3], American writer Deidre Dare[4] and many others. The well-advertised forum is attended both by English-speaking Russians and the members of Moscow’s permanent and changing expat community.

Purposes

The purpose of ELE is to provide intelligent, interesting evenings in Moscow in English of ideas, stories and people, in an informal, friendly atmosphere, where the speakers and the public audience are able to interact over a wide variety of topics, allowing for personal contacts and relations between the mostly expat speakers and Russians in Moscow. In the context of Moscow, ELE is a distant descendent of the Lyceum movement started in 19th century America, and a direct relative to the “Penny University” [5] in Santa Cruz, California, founded in 1974 by American historian Page Smith, artist and art historian Mary Holmes,[6] Dr Paul Lee, philosopher and author,[7] and others, and is still ongoing. The host of ELE participated in the Penny University for many years.[8]

Organization

Meetings are usually held on Fridays twice a month from September to late May at the Chekhov Cultural Center (Strastnoy Boulevard, 6/2, near Pushkin Square) with lectures by (mostly) native English speakers giving lectures on topics of their own choice. Lectures usually start at 19:00, followed by questions and answers, discussion and comments, ending about 21:00.

The attendance fee is only 100 rubles (approx. $3), as the host tries to limit the influence of money on ELE topics, attendance, attitudes, atmosphere. For many years it was absolutely free; then for many years it was only 50 rubles. A modest honorarium is offered to speakers, though some have donated theirs to more than a dozen Russian charities over the years (e.g. Russian Orphan Opportunity Fund, Action for Russia’s Children, Moscow Animals, Big Brothers, Big Sisters, Nastenka, Sofia Foundation,[9] United Way).

References

  1. ^ "Riddle Wrapped in English Debate". The Moscow Times. March 28, 2000.
  2. ^ "English Language Evening Invaded by Marauding Scots and Fine Auld Scotch". Passport Moscow. June, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Solzhenitsyn Lecture". Passport Moscow. March, 2009. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Deidre Dare Passes Judgement on Russian Men". Passport Moscow. January, 2010. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ "Penny University".
  6. ^ "Mary Holmes, 91; Taught Eccentric Theories of Art". Los Angeles Times. January 28, 2002.
  7. ^ "Dr Paul A. Lee – Resume and Curriculum Vita".
  8. ^ ""Penny University" Moscow Style". The Moscow News. January 27 – February 2, 2006.
  9. ^ "Sofia Foundation has received a donation from ELE Moscow".
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