Speaking up for Languages

The European Year of Languages and the promotion of language learning

Speaking up for languages, the report on the success of the European Year of Languages in the UK, was presented at a public event at the Foreign Office on Europe Day, 9 May. Sir Trevor McDonald, backed up by European Ambassadors, made a speech linking competence in foreign languages to the ability to play a full role in Europe - both economically and politically. Europe Minister Peter Hain agreed - he said he was learning German and Jack Straw is learning French.

Speaking up for languages, the report on the success of the EYL2001 in the UK is available online in pdf format.

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Speaking up for languages pdf file, 1.68 MB (high quality for printing)

Speaking up for languages pdf file, 729 KB

Introduction to the report

Lid King . Director, CILT

Looking back on 2001 and the experience of the European Year of Languages in the UK, a kaleidoscope of images comes to mind: the enthusiasm for languages demonstrated by people of all ages; the inventiveness with which partners from different sectors took up the concept of the year; new languages being learnt in new contexts; connections between those who had previously worked in isolation from each other.

Above all, it is the individual testimonies which we will remember: the 8-year-old schoolchild explaining about the importance of Farsi in his school; the apprentices and students inspired by their contacts with other cultures and committed to a global future; pensioners who had come to language learning late in life and found the world opening up to them.

This report is designed to celebrate all these positive experiences and messages. It is not intended to be a comprehensive review of the year, but rather to provide an impression of the many activities which took place and the messages which emerged and contributed to the policy debate.

The spirit of the European Year of Languages, both nationally and internationally, was above all one of creativity, of moving hearts and minds through commitment rather than with extensive resources. It was a success because people cared about the issues and found ways to celebrate multilingualism and the value of learning languages in their communities.

Out of this sense of celebration certain themes emerged, themes which are touched on in the pages that follow and which together add substance and sense to the policy debate which unfolded throughout these islands in 2001. People wanted to celebrate diversity, to understand each other; they wanted to value languages as an opening to other cultures and an opportunity for personal and economic progress. It is now up to us all to take forward this continuing agenda, to develop our understanding of the complexities and opportunities of our multilingual world and to take concrete measures to ensure greater national capability in languages.

For further details about the efforts and achievements of many other individuals and organisations please refer to the seven editions of the EYL newsletter and to our website: www.eyl2001.org.uk. A formal report on the year is also available.