Languages without Borders: Babylon was yesterday
18 September 2009
How many languages are spoken in Africa? How many in a German classroom? And what is the potential of multilingualism for German businesses, for instance? For two years Goethe Institutes in over 30 countries analysed the phenomenon of multilingualism. Their conclusions will be presented at the closing event on September 17 to 19, 2009 in Berlin. The international conference 'Languages without Borders' in Berlin will examine the significance of multilingualism from various angles.
‘Languages are the only way to overcome borders. Multilingualism is the only way to ensure that people in Europe don’t just communicate, but actually understand each other. Integration is impossible without linguistic diversity. And only if the principle of multilingualism is taken seriously will German as a foreign language have a genuine future in Europe.’ With this clear commitment to multilingualism the President of the Goethe Institut, Klaus-Dieter Lehmann, opened the international forum Languages without Borders on September 17.
Speaking several languages is increasingly a vital prerequisite for taking part in social, cultural, economic and even political life in a globalised world. The international forum Languages without Borders at Berlin's Academy of Arts on September 17 to 19 will examine various aspects of multilingualism, such as how it can be encouraged, what significance it has for the arts, business, science and politics, and its role in successfully promoting intercultural dialogue.
The international conference is the final highlight of a two-year project by the Goethe Institut. As the Federal Republic of Germany’s cultural institution, the Goethe Institut opens the door to German culture and the German language for people all over the world. That said, multilingualism, one of today’s major societal concerns, is increasingly coming into the focus of the Goethe Institut. Goethe Institutes in more than 30 countries around the world spent two years examining the phenomenon of multilingualism from a variety of regional and artistic angles. The outcome of their work will be presented at the final Languages without Borders event. Besides the conference, which will be attended by international experts from science, business, the arts and politics, a series of cultural side events will offer a lively insight into what multilingualism means for many people around the world.
At the drama workshop SprachFluss(Language Flow) 20 young Africans from 13 countries will join young Germans on stage, using their German and African mother tongues to present stories on development and language diversity. With 1 500 mutually unintelligible languages spoken across the continent, multilingualism is the norm for many people in Africa. At SprachFluss multilingualism is not seen as an obstacle, but in fact is put to use as an aesthetic instrument. The side events also include a play entitled Unserdeutsch, a documentary fairy tale from Papua New Guinea in the South Seas. The theme of the play is Unserdeutsch, the only German-based Creole language, which developed after Germany colonised the region around a century ago. The many results of the worldwide projects initiated by the Goethe Institut as part of Languages without Borders will also be showcased in a multimedia exhibition.
Languages without Borders is a project by the Goethe Institut in cooperation with Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft, the Academy of Arts and other partners. Its patron is Leonard Orban, EU Commissioner for Multilingualism.
