Bore Da/Good Morning and thank you to Wicked Wales International Youth Film Festival and Prestatyn High for asking me to speak today about the need for Countries to work together and how learning languages can help.
Last December’s Human Rights Day marked the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, a milestone document that proclaimed the inalienable rights which everyone is inherently entitled to as a human being -- regardless of race, colour, religion, sex, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. It is the most translated document in the world, available in more than 500 languages.
As the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said on the 60th Anniversary “I want to say something about one of the UN's founders – Winston Churchill” whose “primary motivation for supporting the codification of our rights as citizens was his desire that we should never again witness anything like the grotesque abuse of power by the Nazi state”.
“Churchill's vision was about a society that should be allowed to live free to achieve”.
In a globalized world, where international mobility is the norm for increasing numbers of people, learning a language is a wonderful benefit.
Not only does it help when traveling, it is also a great advantage for studying in general and for career prospects abroad.
According to research learning a foreign Language can:
- Boost Brain Power
- Improve Memory
- Enhance the Ability To Multi-Task
- Enhance Decision-Making
- Improve our First Language
- Improve Performance In Other Academic Areas
- Increase Networking Skills
- And provide Better Career Choices
My colleague, the Shadow Minister for Education, Suzy Davies AM, recently met with the British Council, the UK’s International Organisation for Cultural Relations and educational opportunities.
My youngest daughter is currently working on a British Council project in Spain, teaching English in a Spanish school.
Suzy learnt from the British Council that there has been a continued drop in modern foreign languages uptake.
Research has shown that where primary schools have introduced modern foreign languages, it has led to better attainment across the board.
Although few Primary schools in Wales are doing this at present, more are now looking at this as an option.
However, it is felt that they need more help in achieving this from Welsh Government.
In Wales, of course, this means a trilingual Wales - with children and young people learning a modern foreign language as well as English and Welsh in school, preparing them better for work as well as encouraging them to learn and develop new skills, making it is easier for them to continue to learn and develop more skills as they get older and into adulthood.
There is concern that Modern foreign languages exams are not comparable to other subjects because they appear to be more difficult - and that this puts students off from taking them.
This is something for Qualifications Wales to address.
Whatever happens with Brexit, we must ensure that Wales and the UK are still turned outwards, and more engaged with the world than ever before.
As I have quoted in the Senedd Chamber “I want us to be a truly Global Britain – the best friend and neighbour to our European partners, but reaching beyond the borders of Europe too, building relationships with old friends and new allies alike”.
I am the Honorary President of NWAMI, Networking for World Awareness of Multicultural Integration, a non-profit community interest group, based in Colwyn Bay.
Two weeks ago, I sponsored and addressed NWAMI’s second Annual Celebration of International Integration Day held in the Assembly.
“Quoting the Chair and Founder of NWAMI, Dr Sibani Roy, I stated: ‘Some of the people think that when you talk about integration, you mean assimilation. We have to explain to people that integration is not assimilation. We have to respect the law and culture of the land.’
“She added ‘What we need to do is educate people and say we are all human beings, we're friendly and we should try to understand each other's culture. When they learn about other cultures, then they will possibly become friendly. Change will happen very slowly, Tit for tat is not the way to change people”.
As I also said:
“We need to build a cohesive community and integrated society in Wales in the 21st century.
To achieve this we need to promote an understanding and respect of diverse cultures through cultural engagement and interaction, education and training.
As I have said many times, this is about celebrating our glorious diversity together”.