International Conference on Language

Time:-
Thursday, 5 June 2014 - 9:00am to Friday, 6 June 2014 - 5:00pm
Location:
Suzhou, China
Type of Event:
Category 4- International Congress

Organized by the Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of

China in partnership with UNESCO, the Conference brings together more
than 400 ministers of education, linguists, educators and international
development partners from some 93 countries across the world -- with the
goal to reflect on challenges and new options for effective language ability
and language education.
The conference has covered areas like increasingly important in a globalized
and culturally diverse world and a key to development and also it reflected
on challenges and new options for effective language education and
planning by bringing together government officials, policy-makers,
researchers, educators and development partners.
The conference lasted for two days. Three symposiums was set there to discuss
language ability from three angles:

1. language ability and the sustainable development of society;

2. language ability and innovation on language education,
3. language ability and international exchange and cooperation.

On 5 June, the Director-General Irina Bokova opened the International

Conference on “Enhancing Language Ability and Education for the 21st
Century,” along with Her Excellency Ms Liu Yandong, Vice Premier of the
People’s Republic of China, Minister of Education Yuan Guiren, Mr Li
Xueyong, Governor of Jiangsu Province, as well as the Chair of the
UNESCO Executive Board, HE Mr Mohamed Amr.
Vice Premier Liu Yandong spoke about the importance of language abilities
for all societies and the need to support linguistic diversity.
"Languages hold the key to mutual understanding," said the Vice Premier.
"They are a force for historical development and social progress."
On this basis, Ms Liu Yandong stressed the need for stronger language
education, innovative teaching methodologies, and encouragement to
learn foreign languages as a way to strengthen what she called "the
shared destiny between the Chinese dream and the dreams of the world."
She highlighted the Chinese Government's language policies, including to
protect minority dialects and promote international exchanges.
Ambassador Mohamed Amr spoke in his opening intervention of language
education as the way to empower communities and nations and a channel to
foster mutual understanding and intercultural dialogue.
In her opening speech, the Director-General stressed that every language
is equal and linked and also a unique source of meaning for
understanding, writing and expressing reality.
“Languages provide the lens through which the world is understood and the
material through which it is voiced," she said. "They express the values we
share and give shape to ideas, linking the past with the future.”
Irina Bokova presented UNESCO’s work to support language education,
especially multilingual education, through the teaching of mother-tongue
languages and the learning of foreign languages.
These are she said, indispensable features of any strategy to lay the
foundations for poverty eradication, sustainable development and lasting
peace.
The Director-General underlined the importance of this work for shaping the
post-2015 development agenda.
“The new development agenda should be universal to be sustainable,
engaging all countries equally and reflecting their cultural diversity, including
linguistic diversity.”
Irina Bokova said that language education was an issue of human rights, for
poverty eradication and sustainable development, as well as, ultimately, for
lasting peace.
“The only way to build a development model that is universal is to take into
account the cultural diversity of humanity, and this includes multilingualism.”
She gave examples of UNESCO's work in this field with countries across the
world, from Latin America to the Arab world and the Asia Pacific. She
underlined the importance of multilingualism online also, to promote local
languages and local content.
Thanking the Government of China for its leadership, the Director-General
drew attention to UNESCO's strong engagement in supporting language
education, embodied at the conference by the presence of the President of
the General Conference and the Chair of the Executive Board.
In the margins of the conference, the Director-General witnessed the
signature of two agreements -- between UNESCO and the Shenzhen
Municipal People's Government on support to activities for higher
education, and between UNESCO and the Wei Dong Group on
harnessing ICTs for inclusive, quality education.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to participate in the International

Conference on Language. we had a great time meeting lot of brilliant minds
there. This was such a great event and we are Feeling Very proud to be the
part of this Huijia School delegate team, witnessing International Conference
on Language in action on a national level with Huijia organization vision &
conviction.

By :-
Teacher- Huijia IB Private School, Beijing , China
Rajeev Singh
Nicolette Lau Meng Meng
Marcie Mehta

“Proudly carrying the flag of Huijia School at the International Conference on Language
in partnership with UNESCO organized by the Ministry of Education (PRC), at Suzhou”.
Photo Album:-

Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong speaks during the opening ceremony

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova speaks during the opening ceremony

UNESCO assistant Director-General Mr Tang Qian with Huijia School Teacher Rajeev Singh

Hon.Minister of Education and Sports , Uganda Ms. JESSICA ARUPO with Huijia
School Teacher Marcie Mehta
Hon. Minister of Education Nepal Chitra lekha Yadav with Huijia school teacher
Rajeev Singh & Marcie Mehta

Huijia School Teachers Nicolette Lau Meng Meng & Marcie Mehta attaining the
International conference on language
Huijia School Teachers Rajeev Singh , Nicolette Lau Meng Meng & Marcie Mehta
attaining the International conference on language