We wanted to say a special thank you on behalf of the region to Brian Stobie, who is retiring on 4th March. Brian has been the leading light for Durham County Council’s work with schools on supporting languages and international connections for decades and an key player in the Festival of Languages.
Brian has been part of the Festival’s steering group since we started developing the ideas during the pandemic in 2020 and has played a key role in engaging and commissioning partners to deliver free activities for North East schools in each of our four Festivals to date.
Brian has developed some incredible projects for the Festival, with the most recent being the Peace Cranes project, which has not only engaged many schools across the region, but also involves participation from over 160 international schools through Brian’s networks. Over 11,000 children and young people will be making origami birds with messages of peace in different languages, which will be part of displays in Durham, Newcastle and in the Hiroshima Memorial Peace Museum. A fitting last project to mark Brian’s retirement.
Brian has boundless energy and passion for supporting children and young people to learn languages, connect internationally and have brilliant intercultural experiences.
It has been my pleasure and privilege to work with him over the last five years and to witness how he brings new ideas to life to inspire and engage children and young people in Durham and across the region.
We shall all miss him, but wish him all good things for the future.
Declan Baharini, Convenor, Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages and CEO, International Newcastle