One European Union. 24 official languages. United in diversity!

The day is a chance for individuals, schools and organisations to discover the joy of learning new languages and to understand why multilingualism matters.

Why does it matter?

The European Day of Languages…

• Raises awareness of how language learning helps us connect and build mutual understanding
• Highlights the rich mix of languages spoken in Europe
• Encourages people of all ages to learn languages, both inside and outside the classroom.

Learning languages can open doors to travel, jobs, cultural insights, self-confidence and even stronger memory and creativity.

Linguistic diversity in the EU

The EU has 24 official languages, plus more than 60 regional and minority languages and many spoken by migrant communities. Across Europe, there are over 200 languages.
This diversity builds bridges between people and cultures, strengthening trust, cooperation and connections.

Who organises it?

The European Day of Languages is a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission. Since its launch in 2001, it has been celebrated across the EU and beyond, supported by ministries of education, cultural organisations, schools and community groups.

Video: Long words in EU languages

To mark this year’s day, the EU Delegation in Japan and EU Member State embassies in Japan have created a special video featuring unique “long words” from across Europe.
Enjoy celebrating Europe’s amazing linguistic diversity with us!