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ECML 25th Anniversary Conference
Languages at the heart of learning: 25 years of inspiring innovation 


OVERVIEW
VIDEOS FROM
DAY 1
Videos from
dAY 2
PRESENTERS
HISTORY OF ECML IN PICTURES

25 years ECML in pictures

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    Timeline

1994-1999

 

In 1995 the European Centre for Modern Languages was located in the Mozarthof

1994-1999

 

The charming Mozarthof villa is situated in the university quarter of Graz

1994-1999

 

The Centre was offically opened on 9 May 1995 - Europe Day. Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Peter Leuprecht, at the inauguration

1994-1999

 

The Mayor of Graz, Alfred Stingl - who was instrumental in bringing the Centre to the city of Graz

1994-1999

 

Some things don't change - there was standing room only...

1994-1999

 

John Trim, Project Director for Modern Languages at the Council of Europe, made the keynote speech

1994-1999

 

The equipment and location may have changed but, as today, Georg was the interpreter back then!

1994-1999

 

There was a feeling of anticipation in the air!

1994-1999

 

Claude Kieffer was the Centre's 1st Director - here at the ECML's 1st colloquy

1994-1999

 

Also at the first colloquy in December 1995 - what you don't see is the 1 metre of snow outside - that had fallen overnight....

1994-1999

 

Lots of firsts ...the first ECML workshop - moderated by Tony Fitzpatrick

1994-1999

 

A visit by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Daniel Tarschys. The neighbours at the Mozarthof were somewhat surprised by the fleet of diplomatic vehicles accompanying him...

1994-1999

 

Since 1996 trainees have played a very important role at the ECML

1994-1999

 

In 1997 the ECML organised its first 'external' workshop in Sarajevo - it was held in the Energoinvest building which still visibly reflected the signs of the conflict

1994-1999

 

The ECML staff - as it was in 1997 - age shall not wither them...

1994-1999

 

An early workshop on regional and minority languages coordinated by Miguel Strubel - OHPs were popular in those days!

1994-1999

 

Benoit Cliquet is not only an interpreter but a skilled cartoonist: Through his drawings, he often reflects the amusing side of ECML events - such as...

1994-1999

 

...the popularity of lunchtime pizzas in the early days of the ECML

1994-1999

 

...the intercultural dimension ...

1994-1999

 

and the lack of space in the resource centre!

2000-2005

 

After almost 100 workshops in the Mozarthof and an increase in the number of member states (28 in 2000), it was decided that larger premises were needed

2000-2005

 

In October 2000 the new premises in Nikolaiplatz were inaugurated. The event was attended by the Mayor of Graz, Alfred Stingl and the Governor of Styria, Waltraud Klasnic

2000-2005

 

Walter Schwimmer, the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, officially opened the relocated and enlarged ECML home

2000-2005

 

Herta Müller, the writer and future winner of the Nobel prize for literature made the keynote speech

2000-2005

 

Michel Lefranc was the 2nd Director of the ECML

2000-2005

 

The inauguration marked a new stage in the Centre's life - a flurry of accessions of new member states followed

2000-2005

 

Josef Huber - the ECML Deputy Director

2000-2005

 

With the publication of the Common European Framework of Reference and the European Year of Languages in 2001, the ECML was developing a higher profile

2000-2005

 

The Centre's conference in 2003 celebrated the completion of the Centre's 1st medium-term programme comprising 25 projects

2000-2005

 

The conference also marked the arrival of a new ECML Director, Adrian Butler

2000-2005

 

Dagmar Heindler, the Chair of the ECML Governing Board, played a major role in the Centre's establishment and its early years

2000-2005

 

Some 25 publications were produced by the projects within the first 4-year progamme

2000-2005

 

Joe Sheils, Head of the Council of Europe's Modern Languages Division,was a regular visitor to the ECML

2000-2005

 

Rolf Schärer with Hermine Penz at the ECML project fair

2000-2005

 

Ursula Newby with Alfred Stingl

2000-2005

 

Mireille Cheval, Vice chair of the ECML Governing Board

2000-2005

 

David Newby preparing to present his project at the conference

2000-2005

 

Publications galore!

2000-2005

 

ECML publications appeared to grow on trees

2000-2005

 

Janua Linguarum - the gateway to languages brought to the stage at a school in Graz

2000-2005

 

The polaroid map …a common sight at earlier ECML workshops - before digital cameras took over...

2006-2011

 

Situated right in the centre of Graz - on a good day the ECML building has a great view of the Schlossberg and the St Nikolaus statue - neither of which you can see in this picture!

2006-2011

 

The ECML likes anniversaries and the 10th anniversary was no exception!

2006-2011

 

The colloquy organised for the 10th anniversary was a 'looking back to go forward' event

2006-2011

 

It involved a group of future language teachers from all the ECML member states

2006-2011

 

Moderated by David Newby, the event had a special focus on the European Portfolio for Student Teachers of Languages

2006-2011

 

It combined this with another important occasion...

2006-2011

 

The donation of the John Trim resource collection to the ECML

2006-2011

 

On this occasion John Trim received the prestigious Council of Europe Pro Merito medal from the Deputy Secretary General

2006-2011

 

Leonard Orban, the European Commissioner for Multilingualism, visits the ECML

2006-2011

 

The European Day of Languages was literally taking off. A competition was organised to see how far an EDL balloon from Graz could fly

2006-2011

 

The winner from Papua New Guinea has unfortunately still not collected his prize...

2006-2011

 

The project meeting of Linguistic diversity and literacy in a global perspective

2006-2011

 

Neville Alexander, who authored the publication Linguistic diversity and literacy in a global perspective was a frequent visitor to the ECML between 2004-2007

2006-2011

 

An ECML exhibition in the foyer of the Council of Europe hemicycle during a session of the Parliamentary Assembly

2006-2011

 

The ECML 2007 conference presenting the results of the ECML's 2nd programme. Adrian Butler with Lucija Cok, ECML project coordinator and Minister of Education for Slovenia

2006-2011

 

The ECML reaches beyond Europe. Joe Lo Bianco from Australia gave a keynote speech at the 2007 conference - despite some jet lag! He had advised on language policy at the Sydney Olympics

2006-2011

 

Susanna Slivensky, the Deputy ECML Director - with a watchful Adrian Butler!

2006-2011

 

Adrian Butler with Harald Hartung from the European Commission

2006-2011

 

Project fairs were getting bigger and better

2006-2011

 

The payment of excess luggage on return plane flights was a topic of conversation

2006-2011

 

Impressions of the conference - Michael Ostrowski, pictured here, has gone on to produce a number of successful films

2006-2011

 

Valuing ALL languages

2006-2011

 

A slightly weary looking ECML 'enlarged' conference team - post event

2006-2011

 

We do like anniversaries - the 15th anniversary of the Centre in 2010

2006-2011

 

The Austrian Federal Minister for Science and Research, Beatrix Karl, spoke at the event

2006-2011

 

Austrian television was also on hand to record the occasion

2006-2011

 

A round table at the conference with Xavier North

2006-2011

 

Waldemar Martyniuk took over as ECML Director. Here with the Deputy Secretary General, Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni

2006-2011

 

Waldek with Rolf Schärer, David Little, Gunter Abuja and Joe Sheils

2006-2011

 

The first meeting of the Professional Network Forum: INGOs working together in the area of language education and assessment

2006-2011

 

The 2011 conference presenting the results of the Centre's 3rd programme - opened by the current Mayor of Graz, Siegfried Nagl

2006-2011

 

Cutting the ribbon to open the project fair

2006-2011

 

Conferences are not all work - on the way to the reception, some of the participants showed off their hopscotch skills - others just stuck with the scotch...

2006-2011

 

Marisa Cavalli, ECML programme consultant, moderating a workshop

2006-2011

 

A language exhibition at Graz museum - which now hosts the annual language festival in Graz on the occasion of the European Day of Languages

2006-2011

 

Jim Cummins delivering the keynote speech at the conference

2006-2011

 

Sauli Takala - programme consultant and great friend to the ECML

2006-2011

 

Someone has to 'support' the conference

2006-2011

 

10 years of the European Day of Languages in... India!

2012-2019

 

The sun shines on the ECML

2012-2019

 

John Trim's last visit to the Centre in 2012 for the ACTFL-CEFR symposium

2012-2019

 

Sarah Breslin presents the ECML at the Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, in the presence of the Austrian President, Heinz Fischer, and Secretary General Jagland

2012-2019

 

The ECML conference, 'Quality education and language competences for 21st century' taking place under the Austrian chairmanship of the Council of Europe in 2014

2012-2019

 

Peter Brown (EAQUALS), Jutta Gehrig (Goethe Institut) and Paula Matilla (Finnish National Board of Education) at the the event which was hosted in the Old University of Graz

2012-2019

 

The panel discussion on using technology in the classroom

2012-2019

 

A Graz language network discussion in the 'needle' of the city's impressive Kunsthaus

2012-2019

 

The one and only island in Graz is taken over by the European Day of Languages

2012-2019

 

Gunter Abuja (Austrian Language Competence Centre) is interviewed by a budding reporter

2012-2019

 

The Graz language festival organised on the Day of Languages involves a wide variety of cultural activities - including theatre

2012-2019

 

It is never too early to start learning a language - here pre-birth learning!

2012-2019

 

Ursula Newby, the Chair of the ECML Governing Board, releasing a balloon never to be soon again (the balloon that is…)

2012-2019

 

Lifelong learning - recipients of a 'prestigious' EDL certificate

2012-2019

 

Promoting excellence in language education through song. One of the many cultural activities hosted at the ECML

2012-2019

 

The ECML Director under siege for European Day of Languages' wristbands

2012-2019

 

The ProSign project focusing on the teaching of sign languages has broken new ground for the ECML

2012-2019

 

A ProSign conference hosted at the Karl-Franz university in Graz

2012-2019

 

The ECML's 2015 conference presenting the results of the 'Learning through languages' programme

2012-2019

 

The 'Use of ICT in language teaching and learning' training and consultancy initiative has coordinated over 30 workshops all over Europe since its launch in 2013

2012-2019

 

The work of the ECML reaches beyond the borders of Europe - a group of Japanese language teachers at the Centre's conference on the European Portfolio of Student Teachers of Languages (EPOSTL)

2012-2019

 

The EPOSTL is currently available in 15 languages - including Japanese

2012-2019

 

Europe Day 2016 at the Joanneum museum in Graz

2012-2019

 

…followed by some promotion for the European Day of Languages

2012-2019

 

The European Day of Languages event in Graz involves around 2000 participants each year - with treasure hunts, language challenges, quizzes, theatre, dance, language cafés…

2012-2019

 

The event receives generous support from the city of Graz and the province of Styria

2012-2019

 

In 2018 these were just some of the priorities in language education defined by member states for the the Centre's next programme

2012-2019

 

A cake inspiring innovation in language education…the title of the ECML's 2020-23 programme

2012-2019

 

Having had our cake and eaten it … we also tried the same with the European Day of Languages

2012-2019

 

In 2019 the ECML launched the Handbook of language challenges (based on OLBI's risk-taking initiative) . The handbook now exists in 25 languages thanks to the National Relays for the Day

2012-2019

 

The coordinators of projects selected for the 2020-23 programme at their first meeting in the ECML

2012-2019

 

The ECML 25th anniversary conference on 5 December 2019 - the sign rapper Signmark opens the event

2012-2019

 

Director General of Democracy, Snežana Samardžić-Marković delivers the keynote speech

2012-2019

 

Martina Vuk, State Secretary for Education, Slovenia with Alfred Stingl, former Mayor of Graz

2012-2019

 

Kristina Cunningham from the European Commission with Paul de Sinety, délégué général à la langue française et aux langues de France

2012-2019

 

Frank Heyworth, who has been an integral part of the ECML activities since 1998, most recently as programme consultant. He has been an author on 6 of the Centre's publications

2012-2019

 

Frank Heyworth, who is stepping down as ECML programme consultant, receives a well deserved standing ovation - a fitting close to the 25th anniversary conference