The College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS) at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) celebrated the European Day of Languages 2021, a close cooperation between the Language Center at the Translation and Interpreting Institute (TII-LC), the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) cluster in Doha, Institut Francais du Qatar, and the Embassy of France. 

In keeping with the intent of the day, a special event held at Penrose House, Education City on September 25 brought together language enthusiasts to celebrate the significance of linguistic diversity in building cultural links and understanding. 

With the aim of encouraging language learning in one of the diverse languages on offer, TII-LC curated group introductory sessions with the Center’s professional instructors in Arabic and a variety of European languages. These included English, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Spanish, and Turkish. 

Launched jointly by the European Union National Institutes for Culture, the European Day of Languages has been celebrated every year since 2001, to promote the linguistic diversity of Europe and encourage lifelong language learning on the multilingual continent. Plurilingualism is regarded as a tool for achieving greater intercultural understanding and a key element in the rich cultural heritage of the continent.

Dr. Nima Nazari, Director of Language Center at TII, said: “Our celebration of the European Day of Languages was a wonderful expression of the strong cultural ties between Qatar and Europe. Amid diversity, language is a powerful tool for us to engage, achieve cultural understanding, and advance the economic and social goals of our societies. 

In today’s globalized world, it’s never been more valuable or important to learn a foreign language. The ability to express ourselves and understand others enables the vibrant exchange of ideas and social interaction that strengthens the fabric of our diverse societies. At TII, it’s not only mastering the language that we embrace in our immersive teaching approach but the entire cultural context. In this way, our language programs not only encourage a lifelong love for languages from an early age but they open the door to new experiences and opportunities.” 

TII Language Center, part of HBKU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences, regularly holds events related to its language learning programs and the various cultures represented. For more information, please visit www.tii.qa/lc