Why does the Council of Europe organise these intercultural language courses?
In order to be able to take part in intercultural and inter-faith dialogue, to promote international understanding, and to fight against all forms of racism and xenophobia, young people today must develop their linguistic competencies, in particular those needed for youth work and international co-operation. If genuine communication and co-operation are to exist, language teaching should also contribute to an active, critical understanding of each person’s own culture and of others’ culture. The DYS intercultural language courses, as well as providing for the development of language and intercultural competences adapted to youth work, encourage an interest in areas other than just language and combine also history, politics, culture, ideology, geography, religion and everyday life in another country. This is the intercultural side of the courses. These courses therefore allow participants to undertake multicultural and multiracial exchanges and to attempt to develop this international
