Words which unite

Raising public-awareness on the importance of learning a foreign language and memorializing European cultural heritage, which languages are an integrating part of. These are the two major objectives highlighted by the EU Commission on the occasion of the week of initiatives preceding the European Day of Languages, scheduled for September 26. The event was launched in 2001, in the wake of the European Language Year. A week of events. The EU program values foreign language learning “as a vehicle to meet other individuals, peoples and cultural traditions” and as a tool to learn more about Europe. The “Entreprises” platform (also named Business Platform on Multilingualism) for the enhancement of multilingualism in entrepreneurships launched the project on September 22 with the constitutive reunion in Brussels. And next day was premiered the video “Interpreting for Europe”, aimed at “encouraging simultaneous interpretation”. On September 24 a conference was held in Luxembourg that focused on “Technology to the service of translators”. From early age… Various initiatives will be held on September 25 and 26 with conferences, seminars, meetings with the youth and with the journalists. A debate probed into multilingualism in the media. A series of activities for children is also planned based on the theme: “Telling fairy-tales in different languages”. “Young children are extremely good at learning languages and are keen to learn if the conditions are right. From the scientific angle, everything points to the fact that learning should begin as early as possible“. Leonard Orban, EU Commissioner in charge of multilingualism underlined this aspect in the framework of the week devoted to language diversity. Early learning. As relates to teaching small children the Commission put on the agenda the Piccolingo campaign, addressed to the parents of children aged 2-6, and focused on “the potential benefits for children and how parents can find information and support”. The Commission wishes to promote “the state of the art of research on language acquisition in early childhood, existing good practice in early language learning and language learners with special needs.” (migrants, national minority groups and people with disabilities).Respecting diversity. For information on EU policies and initiatives for the enhancement of language diversity log on www.europa.eu/languages. Each year the Commission underlines this aspect and entrusts to the Commissioner in charge of multilingualism to prepare events in Brussels, while it supports – often also financially – initiatives held across Member States. As Commissioner Orban declared, the European Union “is founded on the principle of the diversity of cultures, traditions, faiths and languages”. EU institutions tend to operate in full respect of the EU’s 23 languages, translating all official documents (starting from the legal and political ones) in the language of European peoples: “It’s a simple yet concrete way to be near the citizens and bring Europe in the home of the Europeans”. Three “families” and three alphabets The EU Fundamental Rights Charter, adopted in the year 2000 within the framework of the new Lisbon Treaty, reaffirms the respect for language diversity on the part of the EU while it rejects “all forms of language discrimination”. The Treaty of Lisbon, signed in 2007 and undergoing ratification, provides for the respect of the richness of EU cultural and language diversity. Indeed, it represents a fundamental EU value. European Countries’ official languages fall within three language categories: Indo-European , Ugro-Finnish and Semitic (Maltese). Three alphabets are currently used in EU 27: Latin, Cyrillic and Greek. The most widespread languages are German (over 90 million native speakers), followed by French, English and Italian. Among official languages figure others that are less diffused like Maltese and Gaelic. In the Old Continent there are also some 150 minority or regional languages. English is the most commonly spoken language and the most studied foreign language in the EU while approximately 1% of EU yearly budget goes to language services (translation and interpretation).