Heyy everyone,
Today we have a special announcement for all of you! Did you know that today is the European Day of Languages?
A day that, as it's evident, must be celebrated in the OLS Portuguese Community. Languages are one of the main reasons for the connection between countries and what makes each of us feel a bit more European. That's why it's important for us to practice and be interested in learning languages.
Here's a little bit of the history behind this day:
→ In 2001, the European Year of Languages (EYL) was celebrated for the first time, initiated jointly by the Council of Europe and the European Commission. Its aim was to celebrate linguistic diversity as a wealth of Europe's common heritage to be preserved. EYL-2001 also aimed to promote multilingualism and motivate European citizens to learn languages.
→ Subsequently, the European Day of Languages (EDL) was established, celebrated every year on September 26.
What are the objectives of celebrating this day?
→Celebrating linguistic diversity in Europe, the plurilingualism of its citizens, and lifelong language learning;
→ Improving awareness of Europe’s linguistic heritage and promoting its rich diversity by encouraging openness to different languages and cultures;
→ Motivating European citizens to develop plurilingualism (the ability to use different languages, to whatever standard) to achieve a degree of proficiency in a number of languages, including those less widely used or taught;
→ Encouraging and supporting lifelong language learning for personal development.
The European Day of Languages is celebrated this year in Portugal with a unique program. The main event takes place in Paredes, in the Metropolitan Area of Porto, but there will also be online initiatives and an event in Beja dedicated to youth theater. You can find the complete program here.
If you want to learn more about the history of the Portuguese language, answer the following question in the QUIZ. It's a special question for the European Day of Languages.
See you there,
Juliane, OLS Community Manager - Portuguese