LIVE STREAM – Do you understand what your neighbour is saying?

A new report shows that young people in the Nordic Region are finding it increasingly difficult to understand each other’s languages. The use of English has become more common among young people. But is this really such a bad thing? And what’s the significance of language and culture for the Nordic community?

In the report “Does the Nordic Region have a language community?”, the Nordic Council of Ministers asked 2,000 young people throughout the Nordic Region how well they understand the languages of their neighbouring countries. The number of young people responding that they have a poor understanding of the other Nordic languages is increasing. How could this trend affect Nordic cohesion?

We will launch the report on 18 March from 14:00 to 15:30 (EET), and you’re invited to join us. The event will be held in English.

Program (Finnish time, EET)

14:00  Welcome – moderator Moderator: Associate Professor Johan Strang, Centre for Nordic Studies at the University of Helsinki

14:03  The Nordic Perspective – Annika Saarikko, Finnish Minister of Science and Culture

14:10 Does the Nordic Region have a language community? Truls Asle Hørlyk Stende, advisor at the Nordic Council of Ministers

14:25 Video from the youth conference on young people’s relationships with the Nordic languages TALC

14:30 Discussion with Unn Røyneland, Professor and Deputy Director for MultiLing, University of Oslo Inga Maria Hjartardottir, project manager for the Nordic youth conference on young people’s relationships with the Nordic languages (TALC), Emma Tcheng, Nordic Youth Council and Malin Corlin, project leader for the N(ORD) podcast

15:00 Questions and comments from the audience

15:15 Where do we go from here? Veronika Honkasalo of the Finnish parliament and the Nordic Council

15:25 Conclusion by Johan Strang

Register for the webinar here.

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