Knowledge of languages allows people to understand and grasp other cultures and ways of life, and to build good policies in the process of mutual communication.

Yevgeniya Leontyeva has a profound knowledge of the unique ways that different ethnic, political, and social groups articulate their thoughts and she has developed the ability to communicate them from one language to another. A linguistic expert, she puts her skills to work in education, research, and interpretation/translation. In multi-ethnic and multi-linguistic Ukraine, she has assisted minority groups to make their voices heard and their positions understood, thus, helping to overcome prejudice and misinterpretation that lead to conflict.

Communication is a crucial part of the prevention and resolution of conflicts. Yevgeniya Leontyeva, born 1975 in Simferopol, has put her linguistic and interpreting skills to use in promoting understanding among different ethnic and linguistic groups in Ukraine. After finishing high school in 1993, she enrolled in the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the Simferopol State University and graduated in 1998. Yevgeniya immediately embarked on three areas of linguistics: education, scientific research, and translation/interpretation. An interpreter and translator in multi-ethnic Ukraine, Yevgeniya often worked under difficult and tense conditions caused by prejudice and misinterpretation. To overcome these difficulties, she uses a wide array of interlingual and intercultural communication skills that promote perception and mutual understanding among people of different languages and cultures. Using her interpretation skills, Yevgeniya Leontyeva has helped give a voice to the minorities in the country – the Crimean Tatars, Bulgarians, and Jews. She has helped them make their position known and to gain acceptance for their views among the majority of the population in the country and among the international community. She has also worked as an interpreter and translator during high level meetings of leaders of European states like France, Germany, England, and Finland. She assisted in the translation of official, business, and educational documents and made regular reports during scientific sessions. Her rich experience enables her to share her skills with her students and inspire them to direct their talents in many spheres.

Taurida National University Simferopol Network of Cultural Exchange and Interethnic Trust