The Council of Europe declared 2001 European Year of Languages
That was done in order:
- «to increase ashareness and appreciation among young people and adults, including parents, policy deciders and those responsible for language teaching, of the richness of Europe's linguistic heritage;
- to celebrate linguistic diversity and to promote it by motivating European citizens to develop plurilingualism, that is, to diversify their learning of languages including less widely used and taught languages, while also protecting and encouraging multilingualism in European societies;
- to encourage language learning on a life long basis, not only by creating an awareness of its necessity, but also buh providing sufficient information concerning ways and possibilities of learning, depending on regional and national situations and possibilities». (European Year of Languages 2001. Guide - Draft 1. // Strasbourg, May 1999)
During this year there planned a lot of activities, among them:
- «one or several «language festivals» and exibitions (on, e.g., history of languages, inkluding languages which have disappeared or dispersed, dictionaries etc.) to celebrate linguistic diversity in Europe» (European Year of Languages 2001. Guide - Draft 1. // Strasbourg, May 1999)
Your have a unique possibility to take parte in the European Year of Languages. The very name of the Council of Europe may help you to make officials turn attention to your Language Festival and make it easier to find some finds ready to support your idea.
TEJO (World Organization of Young Esperantists) made its contribution to the European Year of Languages by organizing the study-session "Rainbow of Languages- a Bridge to Cultural Treasures". Here you may read the report .