European Day of Languages 2026: Languages unite! – How languages shape inclusion

To mark the 2026 European Day of Languages and International Translation Day, join the European Commission’s online event on the theme Languages unite!

Explore the virtual exhibition area with your avatar and discover the different ways the European Commission supports multilingualism, language learning and language diversity. It will be open from 25 September to 2 October.

Register here

Roundtable: Languages unite – how languages shape inclusion 

30 September 12:00-13:15 CEST (online) 

Across Europe, classrooms, workplaces and public institutions are becoming increasingly multilingual. But how can we ensure that linguistic diversity becomes a strength rather than an obstacle? What can teachers do to support multilingual learners? And how do interpretation, translation and clear communication help make sure everyone can participate fully?

Join us for an inspiring roundtable to explore how languages foster inclusion throughout life – from the classroom to democratic participation and access to public services. 

Moderator: Anna Solé Mena, senior expert on multilingualism in the Directorate General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture 

Speakers: 

• Nathalie Auger, Professor of Language Sciences at the University of Montpellier Paul-Valéry, will present key findings and recommendations from the recent SIRIUS study on migrant-inclusive multilingualism and the LISTIAC project (Linguistically Sensitive Teaching in All Classrooms) 
• Terry Lamb, Professor of Languages and Interdisciplinary Pedagogy at the University of Westminster, will share practical strategies and resources to help teachers create more inclusive multilingual classrooms 
• Zosia Krasodomska-Jones, interpreter at the European Commission, will reflect on the role of interpretation in enabling meaningful participation in the democratic process 
• John Evans, translator-editor at the European Commission, will discuss how translation, clear language and multilingual AI are all helping to mainstream inclusion both within the Commission and in its relations with EU citizens

Thematic session I 

30 September 13:30 – 15:00 CEST (online)

Language matters in AI: how languages shape AI – and how AI shapes languages 

Discover how languages shape the AI technology we use every day – how AI systems learn languages, why some languages influence AI more than others, and what happens when languages are less represented.  

Expect real examples of AI first stumbling and then gradually learning a language – sometimes funny, sometimes worrying – and understand how languages also influence how we evaluate the performance of AI. We will also discuss how work with AI projects is shaping or changing people’s perception of AI and the ways they use it, and how to be more empowered in new roles in an AI world. 

Moderator: Mariusz Czarnecki, DG Translation 

Speakers: 

• Cristian Braşoveanu, head of DG Translation’s AI innovation team 

• Jael De La Morena, DG Translation (coordinator of the European Commission’s internal AI community) 

   

Thematic session II 

30 September 15:15 – 16:30 CEST (online) 

Best practices for translation internships – a guide for students, universities and language service providers 

Internships are where future language professionals turn knowledge into practice. They offer students invaluable real-world, hands-on experience and a vital first step into the language industry. 

Join us to discover a newly developed, comprehensive package on translation internships. Bringing together guidelines, recommendations, feedback forms, video testimonials and other practical resources, this package is designed to support high-quality internship experiences for all involved. 

The co-authors of the guidelines, representing the European Master’s in Translation (EMT) Board and the Language Industry Expert Group (LIND), will explore the benefits of internships for universities, students and traineeship providers. 

Moderator: Nikola Kunte, DG Translation (secretary of the EMT network) 

Speakers: 

• Alexandra Krause, EMT Board member, Vienna University 
• Adriano Ferarresi, EMT Board member, Bologna University 
• Oleksandr Bondarenko, LIND member 

Register here