Gather event – The Bilingual Brain: Improving cross cultural skills, tolerance and cognitive abilities

3pm CEST / 2pm BST

Join our event about the bilingual brain.

The brain is a muscle, and learning a second language equates to going to the gym, with
the intention of always building and improving it.

Improving our language capabilities allows us to connect with others socially and professionally by helping us to see the world through many perspectives. As a result, it can help with reducing deep-rooted stereotypical biases associated with misunderstanding other cultures. Languages enrich lives, allow us to more easily adapt to different cultural circumstances, and some studies have shown that speaking a second language can delay the onset of mental deterioration and illnesses such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The event will cover:

• The brain of a multilingual speaker – Inigo Lopez
• Presentation by Professor Panos Athanasopoulos – “Research work about bilingualism and benefits of speaking a second language”
• Cultural limitations when you don’t speak the local language – Kimloy Walker
• Presentation by Priyamvada Majumbar – “Language and Culture: the fraternal twins of human communication”
• Q&A

Our guest speakers:

Professor Panos Athanasopoulos – Applied Linguistics at Lancaster University

In 2006, Panos obtained his PhD on the effects of second language acquisition on cognition from the University of Essex, took Lectureship positions at Bangor University and Newcastle University, and a Readership in Multilingualism at the University of Reading. Since 2014, he has focused on Applied Linguistics at Lancaster University, in areas of experimental psycholinguistics, experimental cognitive linguistics, bilingual cognition, linguistic and cultural relativity, first, second and additional language learning.

Priyamvada Majumbar – Global Partnership department at HELMA International

Priyamvada is a global mobility professional with over 11 years of experience in the industry. She heads the Global Partnership department at HELMA International. Having studied in a bi-lingual international school she’s fluent in English, French and her mother-tongue Bengali. She holds an MBA in Tourism, a diploma in Human Resource Development from XLRI institute, and a certification from Yale University on the science of well-being. She’s also a cross-cultural trainer and conducts cultural sensitivity programmes for expatriates as well as for fellow service providers.

– This free event is for members and non-members and will take place on Zoom.

Sign up for this event here: