Linguistic diversity in Europe: what are the challenges for the development of European citizenship?
The Ministerial Conference on Linguistic Diversity in the European Union, which will be held in Pau on 15 March 2022 under the French Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will provide the opportunity for European partners to examine and discuss the issues of multilingualism and plurilingualism in Europe. The central issue of the construction of European citizenship will be addressed via these themes.
How can digital technology curb the trend of monolingualism in European institutions, in their internal working and in their external communication ? What are today’s obstacles to the wider teaching of languages in Europe and the development of ambitious policies to promote linguistic diversity ? What are the broad lines of the training and mobility of European citizens and civil servants in terms of strengthening linguistic diversity in Europe? How can the economic sector play a role in this diversity and what are the positive gains for companies ?
These are the questions that will be explored by the conference’s participants. Representatives of European Union Member States and European institutions, witnesses in the field, civil society leaders and those working to further Francophonie will be called upon to share their experiences. Their common goal is to develop and promote linguistic diversity as a way to build European citizenship.
The event will take the form of four successive roundtables, after the session of introductory remarks moderated by French, European and international senior officials.
