HÀ NỘI — Linguists and the public will have a chance to meet and share their common interest in languages during European Language Day this Saturday. 

The sixth annual European Language Day will be held at the Goethe Institute Hà Nội. It will provide local people with an opportunity to learn more about Europe’s linguistic and cultural diversity. 

This year’s festival is themed "Multilingualism in Vietnamese Schools". It has been organised by European Union National Institutes for Culture members, including the British Council, the Goethe-Institute, the Cervantes Institute, the French Cultural Centre, embassies of Poland and Italy, and Wallonia-Brussels Delegation in Hà Nội.

Saturday morning will be a fantastic opportunity for about 120 experts on teaching foreign languages, lecturers and teachers to listen to key notes delivered by Dr Nguyễn Thị Mai Hữu from Việt Nam’s Ministry of Education and Training, Prof Dr Hans-Jürgen Krumm of Vienna University, a senior expert on multilingualism, Danny Whitehead from the British Council, Pierre-Yves Turellier from the French Embassy, and Céline Mariage from the Wallonia-Brussels Delegation.

The afternoon session of the day is open to the public - including students, parents and their children - who are interested in languages and culture. Taster classes will be offered to enable participants to learn some words and communicate in English, French, German, Italian, Polish and Spanish. Brief and fun sessions lasting 30 minutes each are scheduled for the whole afternoon. 

The diversity of European culture will be featured in selected short fiction and documentary films to be screened during the event. The featured prizes of the lottery are scholarships for intensive courses.

The sixth European Language Day offers a unique opportunity for teachers, lecturers and general audiences to experience a multilingual environment and enjoy a colourful day full of input and exchange.

All activities are free of charge and will take place at the Goethe Institute, 56-58 Nguyễn Thái Học Street. — VNS