Stories have a unique ability to transcend borders, connect people, and open new perspectives on the world. Participants of the Creative Voices Across Borders workshops, held on October 5 and 6, 2026, in Nitra, experienced that creativity can be a common language despite cultural and linguistic differences.
Párovská 1 High School in Nitra and the Department of English Language and Culture at the Faculty of Education of Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra transformed into creative spaces full of ideas, imagination, and stories for two days. The workshops were part of the international project Creative Voices Across Borders, supported by the International Visegrad Fund.
Under the guidance of Mgr. Lenka Michelčíková, PhD., and Mgr. Beáta Ďuračková, PhD., students engaged in unconventional creative challenges. Through creative writing, storytelling, and group activities, they explored new possibilities of self-expression, developed their imagination, and learned to see the world through others’ eyes. English served as a tool for communication, collaboration, and creative experimentation.
The international composition of participants added a special atmosphere to the workshops. Alongside Slovak students, young people from Ukraine, Kyrgyzstan, Spain, and Turkey also participated in the activities. Each brought their own experiences, cultural backgrounds, and perspectives to the collective creation. This diversity became one of the greatest added values of the event. Participants were able to gain intercultural experiences and discover different perspectives directly in their home educational environment.
The workshops also initiated broader international connections among students from the project’s partner countries. Through the digital platform Padlet, participants began to establish initial contacts, introduce themselves, and share their ideas in a common online space beyond the classroom. Project activities focused on international cooperation will continue in December 2026 in Poland, where students will have another opportunity to develop their creativity, strengthen intercultural ties, and engage in joint creative tasks.
Thus, the project fulfills one of the fundamental ideas of Visegrad cooperation – connecting people, fostering mutual understanding, and creating new opportunities for collaboration across borders.
The project is co-financed by the governments of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia through the Visegrad Grants of the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to support ideas of sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
Text: Mgr. Lenka Michelčíková, PhD., PF – Department of English Language and Culture
Photo: Mgr. Beáta Ďuračková, PhD., PF – Department of English Language and Culture
