I wish I could take language
And daub and soothe and cool
Where fever blisters and burns,
Where fever turns yourself against you.
I wish I could take language
And heal the words that were the wounds
You have no names for.
Julia Cameron
Every year on September 26, the European Day of Languages is celebrated. This holiday was launched by the Council of Europe in 2001 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity in Europe and aims to highlight the benefits of multilingualism in terms of communication, cultural understanding and economic opportunities. According to Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejčinović Burić, “The European Day of Languages reminds us that every voice counts and that together we can overcome language and cultural barriers in our societies.”
The European Day of Languages encourages people across Europe to learn and appreciate the importance of learning languages for personal and professional development. It also emphasizes the linguistic diversity of Europe. The most commonly spoken languages in Europe are English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Polish, Greek, Dutch, and Swedish. In total, there are more than 225 autochthonous languages in Europe, not including those that have appeared on the continent due to migration.
In order to promote the linguistic and cultural diversity of Europe, a special web portal has been created, which is available in 39 languages and provides information on numerous events and resources for learning languages https://edl.ecml.at/
