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A European platform for neighbouring languages in border regions |
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Europe is more and more becoming the Europe of regions. The European cooperation manifests itself first of all in the border regions. Border regions, where also the less widely spread languages are learnt, offer an excellent opportunity for multilingualism, which Europe is promoting. They often create ingenious formulas to learn the language of their neighbour. However, these formulas mostly remain isolated projects. A platform for neighbouring languages will: - Combine and distribute good practice of language learning projects
- Offer tools to promote the neighbouring language
- Respond to the demand for learning by means of E-learning sites
- Create virtual communities for the professionals of the neighbouring language
- Bind research to innovative activities and vice-versa Inform actors of the neighbouring language of financing possibilities
- Organise conferences, customized workshops and study visits
- Advise border regions on specific topics of the region concerned
The platform will be coordinated by two agencies that make use of already existing European networks: the AEBR (Association of European Border Regions ) and the Language Academy (Coordinator of the Comenius network Languages and Borders). These organisations already cooperate and publish news bulletins. Together, they have some 4000 relations in the field of (Eu)regional politics, education and research. Presentation by Ruud Halink |
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Meeting in Arnhem about language learning in border regions, April 2010, Arnhem (NL) |
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On April the 26th 2010, representatives from the Dutch-German border region’s, the provinces of Dutch and Belgian Limburg and language experts came together to talk about the situation of learning the neighbour language in a border region. The purposes of the meeting were to exchange information of successful projects, to discuss problems and to explore the possibilities for closer cooperation. In all border regions, learning the neighbour language is an issue. In some cases it is part of broader, often Interreg projects. But there are also many projects which focus exclusively on the issue. Exchange of information about these projects is essential so that future projects can be executed in a more effective and efficient way. The main problem which occurs for neighbour language learning projects is that good ideas are often not put into practice because of the lack of financial input. In the eyes of the competent authorities, who allocate financial inputs, projects with a focus on economy or infrastructure are more urgent. Furthermore, educational institutions are not capable to finance extensive projects alone. During the meeting, the participants already made a first step to closer cooperation. In the nearer future, the five border region’s will start to lobby for the support of neighbour language from civil services and politics. This will be done by a common vision document in which they will make a common statement on the importance of learning the neighbour’s languages. This statement will be accompanied with arguments which underline the positive effects for the education and economy in these regions as well with an overview of examples of successful projects. |
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Annual conference of Fachverband Deutsch als Fremdsprache from 13th til 15th May 2010 in Freiburg |
One of the headings of the 37th annual conference of the Fachverband Deutsch als Fremdsprache be multilinguism in border regions.  |
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