Press Release

New characters to get UK talking on European Day of Languages

11 May 2006

Popular activities will feature in UK languages celebrations this September as learners get to know 26 new characters each with a favourite pastime, from acting and hopscotch to modelling, texting and zodiac predictions. This year’s A to Z highlights the range of fun activities where languages can be used and forms the basis of a range of resources to mark the European Day of Languages (EDL) on 26 September.

The A to Z of activities, which has each character saying hello in a different language, is part of a national campaign to champion language diversity, encouraging schools, parents, employers, communities and specialist interest groups in the UK to join the celebrations taking place across Europe.

The resources, produced by CILT, the National Centre for Languages, include free stickers and postergames as well as button badges and T-shirts and can be ordered from the CILT website (www.cilt.org.uk/edl). The 2006 EDL characters are joined by those featured in last year’s A to Z of languages and careers on the postergame, a poster with a board game on the reverse. A suite of on-line resources will also be available for the Day.

Isabella Moore, Director of CILT, the National Centre for Languages, said, ‘We wanted to build on the popularity of the EDL characters to highlight the range of opportunities language skills offer. We hope these new characters will inspire people across the UK to try using another language whatever they’re doing on 26 September.’

The deadline for T-shirt and badge orders is Friday 30 June, bulk orders should also be received by the same date. Free stickers and postergames will be available while stocks last but early orders are encouraged to avoid disappointment.

The new characters can be previewed at www.cilt.org.uk/edl/pdfs/resources/postergame_front.pdf  and images of the resources are available on request.