TORREVIEJA, May 19, 2025 — The first Spanish-language learning book tailored specifically for the Ukrainian community living in Spain will be officially presented this Wednesday, May 21, at 7:30 p.m. at the Palacio de la Música in Torrevieja. This unique educational initiative has been developed and published by the UNED learning center in Torrevieja.
Local officials expected to attend the launch include Deputy Mayor Rosario Martínez, Councillor for Education and Universities Ricardo Recuero, Councillor for International Residents Gitte Lund, and Francisco Escudero, Director of the UNED center in Elche.
The presentation will feature a musical gala with songs in both Ukrainian and Spanish, speeches from supporting institutions and associations, and an overview of the teaching methodology. The manual includes practical dialogues, cultural notes, grammar explanations, and a comprehensive bilingual lexicon featuring over 500 full-color illustrations, including a Ukrainian-Spanish vocabulary and a Spanish-Ukrainian dictionary.
A Bilingual Learning Tool for Integration
Titled Emergency Manual: Spanish for Ukrainians, the book is the brainchild of doctoral student Juan Antonio Cebrián Flores. It was developed under the academic guidance of Dr. Jesucristo Riquelme, a professor and philologist who currently coordinates the UNED Elche branch in Torrevieja. The manual aims to serve as a practical and accessible tool for Ukrainians residing in Spain—especially in Torrevieja, home to the largest Ukrainian community in the country.
The manual adopts a natural, real-life communication approach to language learning, with scenarios such as meeting new people, traveling, shopping, visiting a doctor, attending school, or buying groceries. It was developed with the assistance of native Ukrainian speakers—including Valeria Dovbysh, Andrii Kulyk, Sofía Kuznetsova, Anastasia Kozakova, and Nataliya Khomyak—and benefited from the expertise of three Ukrainian philologists based in Torrevieja, Orihuela Costa, and Murcia: Oksana Grygoriv, Inna Lymar, and Oksana Bilostotsk.
The manual has been written almost entirely bilingually to enable guided, gradual, and participatory learning with the help of instructors, allowing students to steadily gain fluency in Spanish.
Endorsed by Ukrainian Associations
The project has received the endorsement of Ukrainian associations in Torrevieja and the wider Alicante province. At the event, Natalia Zhezhnyavska, director of the official Ukrainian School, and Antonina Rohalska from the Ukrainian association in Mutxamel will both speak.
The launch event will also feature several musical performances, with Ukrainian and Spanish songs performed by Elysaveta Khomyak; brothers Simon and Yefim Kurochkin; the children’s choir Tando, led by Taras Khomyak; soprano Viktoriya Svyshch with pianist Nataliya Khomyak; and a grand finale by Anastasia Kozakova.
Plans for Expansion
According to Cebrián and Riquelme, the first edition is a limited run. A revised and expanded second edition is planned for the next academic year. If interest is shown by educational authorities across Spain, the team hopes to collaborate with Valencian publisher Micomicona for broader distribution, aiming to increase both the scope and print run of the book to reach a wider audience throughout the Valencian Community and across Spain.
The current edition spans 128 full-color A4 pages. Future editions would include more bilingual dialogues and expanded content to better serve both students and teachers.
Admission to the presentation is free with an invitation, which can be collected at the reception desk of the Palacio de la Música until the day of the event.
