We have to look at the person without a pre-programmed vision
Popolsku talks with Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska
Past
I was raised dually in a communist Poland where I got propaganda lessons at school and the real teaching was at home by my parents who taught me how the real world is really like. I wanted to know why totalitarian systems exist. From that moment I got fascinated by intercultural communication, politics, languages, culture and psychology, which gave me a feeling of freedom. I followed English and American Studies at Warsaw University. I studied among others culture, literature, history, mass culture, ethnicity issues, political issues, gender studies, philosophy and psychology. After receiving my master title I also completed post-master studies in journalism organised by L’Ecole Superiere de Journalisme de Lille and Warsaw University with the cooperation of the College of Europe. I received ‘Diplôme en Journalisme Européen’. The communism in the meantime collapsed, my parents established the first medical clinic in Poland http://www.vita-glob.com.pl/ and my father was asked to become a minister of Healthcare in Poland. I started working for the Warsaw University as a lecturer, PR and brand manager for the clinic and a journalist for the Public Polish TV. Then I met the love of my life…from the Netherlands.
The Netherlands and Poland
When I came to the Netherlands I realised that now I can put in action everything that I learned in order to help others. I founded Communications-Unlimited : an international multidisciplinary company comprising the following departments:
Publishing House
Central and Eastern Europe Centre
International Journalism and PR Centre
Language and Translation Centre
Business and Tourism
My company is supported by an advisory board which consists of respected and well-known international representatives of the political, business and culture world.
I decided to write language books to help foreigners consciously coexist in the society. I remember when I was giving birth to my first child in the Dutch hospital and that it was not that easy to communicate due to emotions and all the feelings you experience on such a moment. Therefore I thought I need to write a medical language book to help other mothers, so my book: Medisch Pools, Medisch Nederlands ( Dutch-Polish Medical Terminology) was created. Now I am an author of seven books and various articles about Poland and the Netherlands which intend to bring people together and help them feel free. I promote Poland, CEE region and the Netherlands internationally since I know that only by learning about other languages and culture we can learn how to respect others.
My ambition
I try to stress that we should not concentrate on the differences among cultures and people and see differences as an obstacle. There are many things that we –it does not matter where we come from- have in common and our diversity is an asset. Otherwise we will not feel free and will not become part of the society wherever we are. In order to understand another culture, another nation, another person we need to take off ‘’the glasses’’ of our own experience and habits. Then we have to look at the person again without a pre-programmed vision.
Let me finish with the beautiful quote: ‘’It is our responsibility to promote peace, freedom, democracy, solidarity and prosperity, both in Europe and beyond. United in the European Union, seeing our diversity as our strength, we will continue this task.”
– Joint statement on Europe Day 9 May 2015 by Donald Tusk and the members of the European Council.
Beata Bruggeman-Sękowska is a Dutch-Polish journalist, publisher , writer of Central and East European language books and managing director of Communications-Unlimited. Due to her international background and experience she is an advisor to governmental and commercial organisations on Central and Eastern European issues. Last but not least she is an academic lecturer, a PR professional with an international dimension and a sworn translator ( from/to English, Dutch and Polish.) She is registered in the Dutch Society of Sworn Translators and Interlocutors under the number: Wbtv- 119.
Communications-Unlimited is a media partner of Zdolna Polonia. https://www.facebook.com/zdolnapolonia
Communications-Unlimited :
Website: www.communications-unlimited.nl
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/journalismlanguagesinternationalization
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/communications-unlimited_2
Source: newspaper Popolsku: http://nl.popolsku.nl/popolsku-talks-with-beata-bruggeman-sekowska/#more-33678
