Every new language we learn gives us a new way to discover other cultures, understand one another better and connect more easily – this was the message of the European Day of Languages, marked today at Europe House in Podgorica with pupils from “Sutjeska” Primary School, their teachers and representatives of the embassies of EU Member States.
Through an interactive programme, the pupils explored the languages, literature and cultural features of different European countries, communicating directly with their diplomatic representatives. Divided into smaller groups, they moved through language stations where they learned words and expressions useful for everyday communication and travel, while also discovering well-known children’s authors and interesting facts about the countries whose languages they were learning.
Diplomatic representatives of the embassies of France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Croatia introduced the pupils to the languages and cultures of their respective countries. After each language station, the pupils added a flag representing the country whose language they had just learned to their European Language Passport. In this way, the passport recorded their journey through European languages and cultures, while the final memory game gave them an opportunity to test how many new words and expressions they had picked up during the programme.
Part of the European Day of Languages celebrations also highlighted the literary work of young people. As part of the poetry competition “An Ode to a European City”, pupils from primary schools in Podgorica wrote about European cities they had visited or would like to visit, combining language, culture, and their personal impressions of their chosen city. The entries included at least a title, a verse or short passage in one of the official languages of the European Union.
According to the jury, the winning poems were “An Ode to a European City” by Jovana Ostojić, a pupil of “21 May” Primary School, “Let Us Open the European Gates” by Dženan Osmanović, a pupil of “Marko Miljanov” Primary School, and “Mainz, Home of Letters and Light” by Anđa Andrijašević, a pupil of “Štampar Makarije” Primary School.
The winning pupils read their works, and each of the three winners received a Kindle device as an encouragement to continue reading, learning languages and discovering the literature and cultures of other European countries.
In addition to Podgorica, European Day of Languages was marked with programmes at Europe Houses in Bar and Bijelo Polje, bringing together pupils and young people from different parts of Montenegro around the themes of languages, literature and Europe’s cultural diversity.
European Day of Languages was launched in 2001 at the initiative of the Council of Europe, with support from the European Union, and it has been celebrated across Europe every year on 26 September. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of language learning, preserve and promote linguistic diversity, encourage multilingualism and strengthen intercultural dialogue.
This year’s Europe House programmes conveyed that message through direct encounters between young people and European languages, literature and cultures, demonstrating in practical ways how language learning contributes to mutual understanding and connection.