Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the European Day of Languages with us!

At the initiative of the Council of Europe, Strasbourg, the European Day of Languages has been celebrated every year since 2001 on 26 September.

Throughout Europe, 800 million Europeans represented in the Council of Europe's 47 member states are encouraged to learn more languages, at any age, in and out of school. Being convinced that linguistic diversity is a tool for achieving greater intercultural understanding and a key element in the rich cultural heritage of our continent, the Council of Europe promotes plurilingualism in the whole of Europe.

Learn more about this, click here.

For some language fun, click here.

Self-evaluate your language skills here!

 

Take the opportunity. Change your life. DO ERASMUS.

Erasmus

European Day of Languages

Celebrating linguistic diversity, plurinlualism, lifelong language learning

The European Day of Languages is 26 September, as proclaimed by the Council of Europe on 6 December 2001, at the end of the European Year of Languages (2001).Its aim is to encourage language learning across Europe.

The general objectives of the European Day of Languages are to:

- alert the public to the importance of language learning and diversify the range of languages learned in order to increase plurilingualism and intercultural understanding;

- promote the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe;

- encourage lifelong language learning in and out of school.

In keeping with these aims, people, young and old, are encouraged to take up a language, or take special pride in their existing language skills. Also, those responsible for providing access to language learning are encouraged to make it easier for people to learn a range of languages, and to support policy initiatives to promote languages. There is also emphasis on learning a language other than English.

Throughout Europe, 800 million Europeans represented in the Council of Europe's 47 member states are encouraged to learn more languages, at any age, in and out of school. Being convinced that linguistic diversity is a tool for achieving greater intercultural understanding and a key element in the rich cultural heritage of our continent, the Council of Europe promotes plurilingualism in the whole of Europe.


Do this quiz and you'll find out how much you know about languages:
 

For Diversity. Against Discrimination.

The European Commission is running a five-year pan-European information campaign on combating discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, religion or belief, age, disability and sexual orientation. The campaign 'For Diversity. Against Discrimination.' teamed up with MTV Networks Europe to broadcast a new TV ad that features the three winning photographs, amongst others, of a pan-European photo competition to promote diversity in work and society in general . The campaign aims to provide information about new EU rules against discrimination through a wide range of channels and to communicate a positive message on diversity and equality.

For diversity against discrimination

Building upon the success of 2009, the ‘For Diversity. Against Discrimination.’ campaign will organise a number of Diversity Days throughout the EU during 2010. To mark each Diversity Day, a high-profile event targeting the general public and media will be hosted to throw the spotlight on issues of equality and diversity, provide information on anti-discrimination law, show what Europe is doing to protect its inhabitants and encourage people to challenge their own attitudes and prejudices. Diversity Days will begin with an event in Budapest, Hungary in late spring. Other events will take place in autumn 2010.

More information on Diversity Days available for Cyprus, Luxembourg, Portugal and Sweden.

Last call for Planet Earth

The European Architecture Foundation (Euraf.eu / Archiworld.com) introduces a fine selection of leading architects in sustainable building solutions in an educative film project which will give clear and convincing answers on how to reduce global warming with existing building products and innovative architecture today.

Consumption and the Environment

The consumption of the average U.S. citizen requires eighteen tons of natural resources per person per year and generates an even higher volume of wastes (including household, industrial, mining, and agricultural wastes). Some of these wastes are released to the atmosphere, rivers, and oceans; others are landfilled or incinerated; a small proportion are recycled. The standard conception of economic development envisions the rest of the world’s population as moving steadily up the ladder of mass consumption, eventually achieving levels similar to those achieved by the United States and some European economies. Clearly, the environmental implications of the global spread of mass consumption for resource use and environmental waste absorption are staggering. Should not this promote some rethinking of economic theories of consumption, which for the most part have ignored resource and environmental implications?

http://www.cbe.wwu.edu/dunn/rprnts.2005.10.10Harris.pdf