The 3rd European Conference on Plurilingualism will be held in Rome from October 10 to 12, 2012.

The conference aims to show how plurilingualism stands as a condition for real and authentic exchange: whether borders be physical, political, religious, intellectual, or artistic, plurilingualism transforms them as areas of exchange, enrichment and creativity, nurtured by an assumed and acknowledged sense of otherness.

Like in the four previous editions, the conference will revolve around four main themes: education, economy, politics and culture.

• The education part will address the November 23, 2008 resolution of the Council for Education, Culture and Youth on plurilingualism in education. This resolution reminded the objective according to which Europeans of tomorrow should master at least two foreign languages in addition to their mother tongue, and established the principle of diversifying linguistic offer from a very young age. The conference will assess progress in that respect, four years later.

• The economy section also has a part to play at the conference: in a globalized context of triumphing neo-liberalism, competition between all players of the economy, and the generalization of English-based exchange, the question is that of cultural and linguistic diversity as a favorable resource for creativity and competitiveness, instead of an obstacle for development.

• In a political view, the issue of languages relates to issues of power – it is assumed here that the decline of English is unavoidable on the long term, and that the future on the scale of centuries is multi and pluri-lingual. Trends towards uniformity through technology generate the need for differentiation and identity, which express themselves through culture and language.

• The cultural axis, finally, will address the circulation of knowledge, ideas, and imagination. Cinema, cultural industries, all forms of publishing, international conferences, Internet, etc. will be a central focus, and most especially the Web, an amazing plurilingual space.

Applications are welcome until November 30, 2011:

– they should include a one-page summary and a biography

– presentations should not exceed 18,000 characters; spaces, summaries, and bibliographies included

– oral presentations are strictly limited to 7 minutes.

The aim of the conference being to apprehend concrete problems and seek feasible solutions, the presentation should include analysis of the situations, introductions to the issues involved, if possible supported by experience and detailed cases, as well as practical suggestions.

For more information or to access the full call for contribution (available in English, French, German, Italian), click here.