Est. MMXVI
INTERNATIONAL LEGO CLASSICISM DAY
#ILCD #ILCD24 #ILCD2024 #InternationalLegoClassicismDay #InternationalLegoClassicismDay2024
International Lego Classicism Day is a social media event celebrated across the world every year on the 20th February, the anniversary of the formation of the Brick Classicists Empire or BCE (previously Lego Classicists). Each year, individuals, organizations and institutions participate by playing with ancient history through LEGO and sharing the results on social media using the official hashtags for the day. This year, 2024, is the 8th Annual International Lego Classicism Day.
International Lego Classicism Day was founded by Liam D. Jensen, “The Brick Classicist” in 2017 and has been hosted by many ancient history and classics university departments, museums and institutions including the The Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney, the Museum of Antiquities, University of New England and the British School at Athens.
Past participants across the world have included school children, libraries, university classics departments, museums and every day individuals, including the British Museum, the Acropolis Museum, the University of Cambridge and the University of Warwick, who have all joined in the fun. The day encourages diversity and inclusion, and participants have come from countries including the United Kingdom, Canada, South Africa, Sweden, Italy, Greece and the USA. It is co-ordinated from Australia.
Many renowned academics, authors and classics personalities have participated in the past including Prof. Mary Beard (classicist, Trustee at the British Museum and TV broadcaster), Prof. Michael Scott (classicist at University of Warwick and TV broadcaster), Dr. Donna Zuckerberg (classicist and author Not All Dead White Men), Natalie Haynes (author and comic classicist) and Dr. Stephanie-Anne Ruatta (classicist and historian of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Immortals Fenyx Rising).
By using LEGO bricks, everyone, regardless of their skills, language, culture or education can be directly involved with the ancient world, which provides understanding and perspective relevant to the modern world and our everyday lives. LEGO universalises our ability to communicate and come together in a way that everyone can be a part of.
This event celebrates playfulness, connection, diversity and inclusion by encouraging everyone to be able to be equally involved and relevant.
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Prof. Michael Scott's Inaugural Professorial Lecture This is Sparta: The Ancient World Then and Now
Recorded on International Lego Classicism Day, 20th February 2019 at the University of Warwick, UK
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International Lego Classicism Day is open to everyone. All you have to do to join in is play with ancient history (any culture!) using LEGO bricks or figures in any way you like and post your results on the day on your social media using the official hashtags!
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#ILCD #ILCD24 #ILCD2024 #InternationalLegoClassicismDay #InternationalLegoClassicismDay2024
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You could share a photo of your favourite LEGO ancient world model (the LEGO Pompeii model at the Chau Chak Wing Museum, Sydney, and the LEGO Acropolis at the Acropolis Museum, Athens, are two of my personal favourites), build your favourite classical building with LEGO bricks, or for those lucky enough to be in a part of the world where there are classical ruins, take a photo of a LEGO figure sitting at a famous ancient site. You might even want to make a video, an animation or a graphic novel telling us about your favourite ancient history story! You can do as little or as much as you like – only your imagination is your limit!
Everyone can join in, no matter how old you are, where you live, how much you know about the ancient world or whether you are an institution or an individual.
Throughout the day, a selection of any participants posts is chosen for posting on Lego Classicists social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram & Twitter) so make sure you use the official hashtags so that we can see your wonderful LEGO ancient world creations!
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HOW CAN I GET INVOLVED?
HOW DID ILCD START?
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The idea for International Lego Classicism Day was born from an email conversation between Liam D. Jensen and Assoc. Prof. Plant (who was the Head of the Department of Ancient History at Macquarie University) when we worked out it was coming to the first anniversary of the BCE and it was decided to hold a high tea outside their Museum (so Ian is also the co-founder of ILCD).
But since then its grown into something much bigger than just an anniversary, as now its been owned by individuals, universities, institutions and museums across the world as a way of engaging with the ancient world through LEGO bricks.
In 2021 International Lego Classicism Day was recognised as an official day on the events website EventGuide.com
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Hosts
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An ancient history institution is invited to host the day:
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2024: Ubisoft Quebec (Game Developers of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey), Canada
2023: The Hellenic Museum, Melbourne, Australia
2022: The Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney, Australia
2021: The British School at Athens, Greece
2020: The Department of Classics, Archaeology and Ancient History, University of Adelaide, Australia
2019: The Museum of Antiquities, University of New England, Australia
2018: The Nicholson Museum, University of Sydney, Australia
2017: The Museum of Ancient Cultures, Macquarie University, Australia​
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Brick Classicist of the Year Award
The Brick Classicists Empire awards a special Brick Classicist of the Year Award to an existing member of the BCE. Read more here
2024: To be announced on 20th Feb
2023: Natalie Haynes
2022: Prof. Michael Scott
2021: Dr. Donna Zuckerberg
2020: Prof. John Bennet
2019: Dr. Stephanie-Anne Ruatta
2018: Michael Turner FSA FLS​
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Special Figures
The Brick Classicists Empire releases a special new BCE member on the day
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2024: To be announced on 20th Feb
2023: Sarah Craig, CEO Hellenic Museum, Australia
2022: Dr. Shuxia Chen
2021: Dr. Chau Chak Wing
2020: Prof. Johannes (Han) Baltussen
2019: Melissanthi Mahut & Michael Antonakos
2018: Mrs Gill Andrews
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The BCE Pantheon
The BCE invites up to 12 individuals and institutions, called The Pantheon, to create official content for the day
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2024
Dr. Pippa Steele and the VIEWS Project, University of Cambridge, UK
Dr. Cora Beth Fraser, Hadrian’s Wall Classical Association, UK
Dr. Samantha Masters & Department of Ancient Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Dr. Helen Forte, Latin teacher and illustrator of the Minimus Latin Books, UK
Prof. Amy Smith, The Ure Museum, Reading University, UK
Warwick Classics Network, University of Warwick, UK
Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities, The University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Sarah Craig, CEO & Head of Curation at The Hellenic Museum, Melbourne, Australia
Tobias Fulton, Ph.D/MPhil Candidate (Classics), University of Newcastle, Australia
Lexie (Alexandra) Henning and the The Ozymandias Project, USA
Liam D. Jensen AKA The Brick Classicist, Sydney, Australia
Michael Antonakos, Voice actor, Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Canada
2023
The British School at Athens, Greece
Dr. Samantha Masters, Department of Ancient Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Prof. John Bennet, Department of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, UK
Department of Classics & Ancient History, Warwick University, UK
Dr. Pippa Steele and the VIEWS Project, University of Cambridge, UK
Dr. Cora Beth Fraser, Hadrian’s Wall Classical Association, UK
Dr. Helen Forte, Latin teacher and illustrator of the Minimus Latin Books, UK
Prof. Michael Scott, University of Warwick, UK
Robbie Morane-Griffiths, Student Year 7, Dolphin School, Hurst, Berkshire, UK
Spyridoula Magoula and Archaeolife: Archaeology & Art, Greece
Dr. Elke Close, founder of hellenistichistory.com, Netherlands
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2022
Prof. Mary Beard, University of Cambridge, UK
Natalie Haynes, UK
Dr. Stéphanie-Anne Ruatta, Inhouse Historian at Ubisoft Quebec, Canada
Nathan Sawaya, The Art of the Brick, USA
Prof. John Bennet and Dr. Michael Loy at The British School at Athens, Greece
Chau Chak Wing Foundation, Australia
The Jönköpings läns Museum, Sweden
​Dr. Pippa Steele and the Crews Project, University of Cambridge, UK
Dr. Paul Donnelly, Australia
Constantinos Vasiliadis at the Acropolis Museum, Greece
Lexie (Alexandra) Henning and the The Ozymandias Project, USA
Jesse Jensen-Kohl Phd candidate at the University of Sydney, Australia
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2021
Natalie Haynes, UK
Dr. Pippa Steele and the Crews Project, University of Cambridge, UK
Prof. Michael Scott, Prof. Zahra Newby, University of Warwick, UK
Dr. Cora Beth Fraser at Open University, UK
Jesse Jensen-Kohl Phd candidate at the University of Sydney, Australia
Katali Jarefjäll and the Jönköpings läns Museum, Sweden
Prof. John Bennet and Dr. Michael Loy at The British School at Athens, Greece
A/Prof. Giacomo Pardini at the University of Salerno, Italy
2020
Prof. John Bennet and The British School at Athens, Greece
A/Prof. Giacomo Pardini and the University of Salerno, Italy
Dr. Donna Zuckerberg, USA
Dr. Duygu Camurcuoglou at The British Museum, UK
Prof. Michael Scott, Prof. Zahra Newby, University of Warwick, UK
Dr. Stéphanie-Anne Ruatta and Ubisoft Quebec, Canada
Dr. Samantha Masters, Department of Ancient Studies, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
Dr. Cora Beth Fraser at Open University, UK
Dr Bronwyn Hopwood and the University of New England, Australia
​Cosi’s Odyssey (Classical social media creator), Australia.
Ure Museum and Reading University, UK
Constantinos Vasiliadis, The Acropolis Museum, Greece
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Posts from the General Public
Throughout the day, a selection of any participants posts is chosen for posting on BCE social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram & Twitter).