The European Day of Languages, proclaimed by the Council of Europe on 6 December 2001, takes place on 26 September every year with the aim of celebrating the cultural and linguistic diversity within Europe and encouraging and promoting language learning.

Languages are essential for many aspects of people’s lives and are arguably humankind’s greatest development. Languages form bonds, build teamwork and drive people’s lives forward in a unique way. Languages are one of the most basic parts of people’s identity. Languages are therefore very powerful but also very emotional tools. They are not only a means of communication, but they also have embedded within them many of the values, aspirations and the way of life of the speakers of those languages. All languages, regardless of number of speakers or legal status, are key to the personal, social and economic development of societies.

Europe has within its borders a rich diversity of languages, both indigenous and introduced through migration over the centuries. Its linguistic diversity is what best defines the continent and, at the same time, expresses and reinforces the cultural identity of Europe.

On this special day, the Network to Promote Linguistic Diversity and the Council of Europe reaffirm their commitment to linguistic diversity and urge the European Union institutions and European States to ensure that all languages spoken across Europe are seen as common assets which need to be supported, promoted and protected.

‘All languages are the expression of a collective identity and of a distinct way of perceiving reality and must therefore be able to enjoy the conditions required for their development in all functions’

Article 7, Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights