European Year of Languages
The European Year of Languages was proclaimed by the European Union together with the Council of Europe in 2001 as the European Year in order to prevent linguistic impoverishment.
The declared aim was to preserve Europe's linguistic and cultural diversity . With three hundred different projects, the EU wanted to encourage all citizens to learn languages so that all Europeans can speak two other languages in addition to their own mother tongue. The aim was to encourage European citizens to develop their language skills and become familiar with Europe's linguistic heritage. No language should be preferred. The focus should therefore not only be on the official languages of the European Union , but also on those languages that the Member States have designated to implement the decision on the European Year of Languages. Sometimes there was even talk of a preference for the “small” languages.
In the European Year of Languages 2001, the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages was presented and published.
Objectives
- Awareness should be deepened of the richness of the linguistic diversity in the European Union.
- Linguistic diversity should be encouraged.
- As large a number of people as possible should be made aware of the advantages of being able to speak several languages.
- It should be encouraged to acquire language skills for life.
- The aim is to collect and disseminate information relating to language teaching and the learning of foreign languages.