Multilingualism and Intercultural Dialogue is the spotlight on Wednesday 10 September in the fifth Brussels Debate of the 2008 European Year of Intercultural Dialogue.

The debate entitled "Multilingualism – a bridge or a barrier for intercultural dialogue?" is organised by the European Commission in cooperation with the European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC).

This fifth Brussels Debate for the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008 will focus on the role of multilingualism in Europe and on the influence of the multiplicity of languages on European integration. Is multilingualism a source of enrichment or a source of tension? According to the European Commission’s public consultation on multilingualism (14 September – 15 November 2007) "more than 96% of the respondents agree that the linguistic diversity of the EU calls for special attention from European politicians and that language skills are important both for their everyday and their professional life"

The Debate will give an opportunity to the public to discuss the advantages and drawbacks of language diversity in the context of intercultural dialogue in Europe.

It is possible to join the debate by sharing views with others from all over Europe on the Brussels Debate Forum in the official website of the European Year of Intercultural Dialogue