The specific aims of the day are to: alert the public to the importance of language learning in order to increase plurilingualism and intercultural understanding; promote the rich linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe which must be preserved and fostered; encourage lifelong language learning in and out of school.
English may be perceived by many, especially in Britain, as the lingua franca of today’s increasingly globalised world, and this can sometimes lead to a lack of desire to learn other languages. However, as global citizens, we must fight against this inertia and encourage language learning at all ages and ensure that not only linguistic but cultural diversity is admired and celebrated.
In the aftermath of Brexit, there has never been a better time to come together and reaffirm the importance and wonder of languages. Each language shapes the thoughts of its nation and each one should be celebrated as having a unique identity and value. The benefits of understanding other cultures and communicating in other languages cannot be underestimated; it brings so many advantages from study and work opportunities abroad to developing open-minded and tolerant children who appreciate that a diverse and multilingual society is a positive and exciting environment to live in.
The clear message from this day is that linguistic diversity is an important resource to be used and cherished, not just today, but every day. We must embrace diversity to unite across linguistic and cultural differences, and channel the positive power of language to enrich our society and create safer, more cohesive and inclusive communities.
So, GoLocalise invites you to celebrate languages with us and don’t forget that we can help you reach target audiences across the world in over 100 languages. We are ready to help with all your translation, subtitling and voice-over needs and look forward to hearing from you!