Tucked in a corner of Corvinus University, there is a special room decked out in red, white and blue. American Corner Budapest is just one of 640 American Corners set up globally, which offer local communities educational lectures, and provide fun programming in English: theatrical shows, movie screenings, music sampling and more. Here in Budapest, organisers are looking to 2020 to be a year filled with memorable events and opportunities.
American Corners are part of an outreach program within the US State Department, explains Ferenc Maurer, local Director of the organisation, which aims to spread democratic values and human rights awareness to countries worldwide. Some of the lectures are quite heady, including political discussions and debates, although these are always handled in a respectful manner. Other programming, however, is strictly for entertainment, such as the monthly Hero in the Crowd performances, comedic theatre improv.
“Everyone is invited to come to our events,” says Program Coordinator Anett Varga. American Corner Budapest is a non-profit organisation, and admission to their events, lectures and workshops is always free. Only registration is required, so organisers have an idea of crowd sizes.
One of the most popular activities is the weekly Conversation Club, which takes place on Wednesday evenings. Here, English learners come to practise with native speakers. “What we really like to see,” says Anett, “is that afterwards, people often hang around to chat, and fix dates to meet up later”. The topics are broad, to allow for easy vocabulary.
Anett hopes to see more expats become involved in the American Corner. “It would be great if this could become a meeting place for Americans living in Budapest,” she explains. New arrivals can find it difficult to integrate into already-established friend groups in the city, and the American Corner offers a relaxed space to mingle with fellow Americans, other internationals living in the capital and local Hungarians.
Visitors to the American Corner are diverse, with students, workers and retirees checking out the various events. There is also a small children’s book section, and younger audiences can find fun activities within the group. Two large shelves house books on all kinds of subjects, fiction, too. While books cannot be lent out, users are welcome to read any during their visits.
“One of our main goals is education,” says Anett. The group has a 3D printer, and regularly teaches interested visitors on such technologies and other innovations. They also provide summer camps for local youngsters, and information on Fulbright and Flex scholarships to students for a full year of study in America.
American Corner Budapest looks forward to ramping up their already popular programming in 2020, and will be keeping the public abreast of their activities via their website and Facebook page.
