The European Union wants to be united in diversity. Defending, promoting and valuing linguistic diversity plays a fundamental role in this endeavour. The recently published overview report 'Linguistic diversity in the European Union: Examples of projects supporting regional and minority languages' shows a number of projects funded under Erasmus+ and Creative Europe. This list of some 60 projects is by no means exhaustive: Creative Europe alone supports on average more than 400 translations a year, from and into more than 40 regional and minority languages. The Mercator Research Centre on Multilingualism and Language Learning, part of the Fryske Akademy, is therefore particularly proud that no fewer than 6 projects in which Mercator is involved as coordinator or project partner are mentioned as examples in the report.
These projects are:
- Virtual Language App (VirtuLApp)
Partners: ATiT Audiovisual Technologies, Informatics and Telecommunications (BE), Luca School of Arts (BE), Trinity College Dublin (IE), Universidad del Pais Vasco/ Euskal Herriko Unibertsitatea (ES).
- Ownership and Leadership: Pathways for (Endagered) Languages'Use in School (OWL+)
Partners: Interdisciplinary Centre for Social and Language Documentation (PT), Nord University (NO), Rēzekne Academy of Technologies (LV), Tallinn University (EE).
- WikiWomen
Partners: Afûk (NL), Learning Hub Friesland (NL), Wikimedia Ireland (IE), Coláiste Oiriall (IE), Euskal Wikilarien Kultura (ES), Antigua-Luberri institute/ Gobierno Vasco (ES).
- European Network for Junior Researchers in the Field of Plurilingualism and Education (ENROPE)
Partners: Goethe-Universität Frankfurt (DE), Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, (DE), İstanbul Üniversitesi-Cerrahpaşa (TR), Tallinna Ülikool (EE), University of Exeter (UK), Universitat Ramon Llull Barcelona (ES), Universität Siegen (DE), Université Sorbonne Nouvelle Paris 3 (FR).
- COMBI (Communication competences for migrants and disadvantaged background learners in bilingual work environments)
Partners: Elhuyar-Zubize (ES), Banaiz Bagara elkartea (ES), Axxell Utbildning AB (FI), Swansea University (UK), Centro per lo Sviluppo Creativo “Danilo Dolci” (IT).
- Lingotell
Partners: Pro Progressione (HU), Sijti Jarnge (NO)
The aim of the report is to provide a number of examples of creative and innovative projects, raise interest in the topic of Multilingualism and present different ways of tackling it. The overview therefore aims to inspire teachers, civil society organisations, cultural and creative activities, project applicants and policy makers across Europe to develop their professional approaches.
Besides the six projects involving Mercator, it also mentions the LISTEN project by our Frisian partner Afûk.
Download
You can download the report for free (pdf):
European Commission, Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture, Linguistic diversity in the European Union – Examples of projects supporting regional and minority languages – Compilation of projects co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme and Creative Europe, Publications Office of the European Union, 2024, https://data.europa.eu/doi/10.2766/409467