Language Café

A café for speaking languages in Laives

The Language Café is a cultural initiative that brings the Don Bosco Public Library in Laives/Leifers to life, located in the heart of the Oltradige-Bassa Atesina area, within the Autonomous Province of Bolzano/Bozen and the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Created to meet the desire of many people to practice languages without the rigidity of a formal course, the event has become a fixture on the local calendar, open to all ages and proficiency levels.

How it works

The concept is simple and informal. Several tables are set up in the library, one for each language, each managed by a native-speaking or expert moderator. Participants choose the table for the language they wish to practice, sit down, and start chatting with the moderator and the other people present. There are no lectures or tests: the goal is simply to converse, loosen up, and gain confidence in the chosen language. You are free to get up, change tables, or leave at any time.

Languages on the program

For the current edition, tables are dedicated to five languages:

• French
• English
• Italian
• Spanish
• German

The presence of Italian and German reflects the bilingual reality of the South Tyrolean territory, where the coexistence of the two languages is an integral part of daily life. The Café thus becomes an opportunity for different linguistic groups in the community to meet.

When and where

Meetings are held two Wednesdays a month, from 8:30 PM to 9:30 PM, at the Don Bosco Public Library, at Via John Fitzgerald Kennedy 94 in Laives. The bi-monthly format allows you to consistently follow your preferred language throughout most of the year, from spring until late autumn.

A community project

The Language Café is promoted by the Committee for Lifelong Learning in Italian of the Municipality of Laives, in collaboration with the Don Bosco Library and with the support of the municipal and provincial administration. Participation is completely free and no reservation is required: simply show up at the library on the date and time of the meeting. A simple and welcoming way to learn, socialize, and experience the multilingualism that characterizes the Municipality of Laives.