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Get ready to celebrate the rich and diverse languages of Europe on September 26, also known as European Languages Day! This holiday was first introduced in 2001 by the Council of Europe to promote cultural and linguistic diversity across the continent. Did you know that there are over 200 languages spoken in Europe? From Spanish to Swedish, French to Finnish, each language brings its own unique traditions and customs. So why not take this day as an opportunity to learn a new phrase or two in a different European language? Or maybe even plan a trip to immerse yourself in the culture firsthand. The possibilities are endless on European Languages Day!
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2001</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Initiation of the Holiday</div><div class='timeline-text'>The Council of Europe introduced European Languages Day in 2001 to celebrate cultural and linguistic diversity across the continent.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2003</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Holiday Recognition Expands</div><div class='timeline-text'>Several European countries began recognizing and participating in the celebration of European Languages Day.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2007</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Cross-Cultural Events</div><div class='timeline-text'>Theme-related activities such as language festivals, exhibitions and cross-cultural performances became popular across different countries on this day.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2012</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Language Learning Promotion</div><div class='timeline-text'>Many educational institutions across Europe recognized the day by promoting language learning and organizing special language classes.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2016</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Digital Celebrations</div><div class='timeline-text'>With a more digitalized world, online platforms began hosting various events and language exchanges for European Languages Day.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2020</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Online Celebrations Amid Covid-19</div><div class='timeline-text'>Due to the global pandemic, celebrations moved fully online with many learning platforms offering special programs.</div></div></div>
<div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Organize a language exchange</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Find a language exchange group in your community or online and celebrate European Languages Day by practicing and learning a new language with native speakers.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Try out a new European recipe</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Choose a traditional dish from a European country and challenge yourself to make it at home. Not only will you get to taste some delicious food, but you'll also get to learn about the culture and history behind it.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Watch a foreign film</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Expand your knowledge of European languages and cultures by watching a foreign film with subtitles. You can even turn it into a movie night with friends and discuss the film afterwards.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Attend a cultural festival</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Check your local events calendar for any European cultural festivals happening on or around European Languages Day. These festivals are a great way to experience different languages, traditions, and customs.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Create a language learning plan</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Use European Languages Day as an opportunity to set some language learning goals and create a plan to achieve them. This could include signing up for a class, using language learning apps, or finding a language exchange partner.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Celebrates diversity and culture</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>European Languages Day is a day to celebrate the rich linguistic diversity and cultural heritage of Europe. With over 200 languages spoken in Europe, this holiday reminds us of the importance of preserving and promoting different languages and cultures.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Opportunity to learn and discover new languages</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>Have you ever wanted to learn a new language? European Languages Day is the perfect opportunity to start! Take advantage of the many language learning resources available and explore the diverse range of languages spoken in Europe.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>Promotes unity and understanding</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>By celebrating European Languages Day, we are reminded that although we may speak different languages, we are all part of one continent. This holiday promotes unity and encourages understanding between people from different cultures.</p></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>European Languages Day Was Initially a One-time Event</h3><p class='facts-content'>The European Day of Languages was initially intended to be a one-time celebration coordinated by the Council of Europe in 2001 as part of European Year of Languages. However, based on its success, it has become an annual celebration.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>The Phrase “United in Diversity” Encapsulates the Spirit of the Day</h3><p class='facts-content'>"United in Diversity" is an official motto of the European Union. It signifies how Europeans have come together, in the form of the EU, to work for peace and prosperity, while at the same time being enriched by the continent's many different cultures, traditions and languages.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>There Are More Than 60 Indigenous Languages in Europe</h3><p class='facts-content'>Apart from several world languages such as English, French, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian that are widely spoken in Europe, there are over 60 lesser-known indigenous languages. These range from the Sami languages in Scandinavia to Karelian in Finland and Russia, and from Welsh and Basque to Sorbian in Germany.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Language Skills are Highly Valued in Europe</h3><p class='facts-content'>Learning languages is considered a lifelong skill by many Europeans. It enhances individual capacities, adaptability and employability. More than 50% of the European population are bilingual or multilingual.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Europeans Use Several Scripts</h3><p class='facts-content'>Various scripts including Latin, Greek, Cyrillic, and Armenian are used to write European languages. While Latin script is the most widely used, the diversity of scripts reflects the continent's rich linguistic diversity.</p></div></div>
European Languages Day is celebrated on September 26 every year. In 2024 European Languages Day will occur on a Thursday.
2023
Sep 26
Tuesday
2024
Sep 26
Thursday
2025
Sep 26
Friday
2026
Sep 26
Saturday
2027
Sep 26
Sunday
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