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News Release
10 July 2001 UK set to celebrate the ‘European Day of Languages’
The UK will join forty-four other European countries in celebrating and promoting languages on 26 September 2001, the official 'European Day of Languages.'
The day will provide a focus for the activities of many of the 850 institutions, businesses, organisations and individuals in the UK that have registered their participation in the European Year of Languages so far this year. All the activities support the aims of the Year, which are to celebrate linguistic diversity, and promote the messages that learning languages brings important cultural and economic opportunities, and that everyone can do it, regardless of age or background.
The UK Co-ordinators of the European Year of Languages, the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT), will contribute to the day’s celebrations by holding the awards ceremony for winners of this year’s European Award for Languages, which will be hosted at the Spanish Embassy, London.
Around the country, other institutions plan to celebrate the day in a variety of ways. At Warwick School, activities to promote language learning which have been taking place throughout the year will culminate on the European Day of Languages with a sponsored Languages Challenge, which will replace the school's usual sponsored walk.
The University of the West of England will organise a survey of language capabilities of departing passengers at the Bristol International Airport to coincide with the European Day of Languages.
Queen's Film Theatre in Belfast will launch a month-long festival of Cine-lingua foreign language films and events on 26 September 2001. A number of illustrated talks will take place, including a talk and demonstration on deaf awareness by a sign language expert and trainer from the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.
Glenrothes College in Fife will organise a video-conference with some of Glenrothes’ twin-towns for 26 September, and Bedfordshire School Direct Services will be challenging all the Headteachers in the county to learn a new language and deliver an assembly to their school on the day.
Balloon launches in eighteen major European cities will unite Europe in its celebration of the European Day of Languages.
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For further press information telephone: (00) (44) (0)20 7379 5101 ext. 244
Notes for Editors
1 The European Year of Languages is a joint initiative between the Council of Europe and the European Union involving 45 countries across Europe. The Year has four principal aims: to raise awareness of the richness of Europe’s linguistic heritage; to make the widest possible public aware of the advantages of competence in another language; to encourage lifelong learning of languages and to publicise information about the teaching and learning of languages.
2 The UK co-ordinator of the European Year of Languages 2001 is the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research (CILT), the Government's recognised centre of expertise on language teaching. It was established in 1966 to promote a greater national capability in languages. CILT supports language teaching, training and research throughout the UK, across all sectors of education, and among employers.
3 The European Award for Languages is a European-wide initiative supported by
the European Commission and in the UK by the DfES. The aim of the award is
to promote best practice in innovative and effective language learning initiatives.
CILT, assisted by an advisory group, is the agency responsible for organising
the awards in the UK.
Information about projects in the UK can be obtained by visiting: www.cilt.org.uk/eal
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CILT is the UK Co-ordinator of EYL2001 Last updated on 10th July 2001 |