EU commissioner for multilingualism visits Tweede Kamer

On April 3 2008, a discussion between the EU commissioner for multilingualism Leonard Orban and members of the committee for Education, Culture and Science is held in the Tweede Kamer. On the same day Mr Orban has a meeting in Leeuwarden with minister Plasterk, about the regional languages, like the Frisian language.

Multilingualism
The meeting with the committee for Education, Culture and Science will go into the contribution of multilingualism to the economy and employment, but also into the intercultural dialogue between the various population groups of the European countries. In the Netherlands several activities will be organised around the European Year of the Intercultural Dialogue.

Policy EU
The policy of the European Union is aimed to stimulate Europeans to speak several languages, preferably two languages different to their mother tongue. Orban looks upon language to be crucial in the promotion of intercultural awareness and understanding. Only by learning to speak other languages we can convert a multicultural society into an intercultural society, according to Mr Orban. Moreover survey  proves that a shortage in knowledge of languages in enterprises is at the expense of business opportunities.     

European Strategy
This fall Orban presents his European Strategy for multilingualism. His visit comes as part of the preparation of this strategy. Furthermore the programme ‘Lifelong Learning’ (2007-2013) supports linguistic development projects and is aimed at all languages, also regional minority languages.

Leonard Orban
Leonard Orban (1961) is appointed at the beginning of 2007 as the first commissioner from Romania. He was Secretary of State for European integration from 2004 until 2007 and led the negotiations to the entry of his country to the EU. Within the European Committee he was assigned the portfolio of multilingualism, which was separated from Education and Culture.