On 4 December 2025, language education experts, policy makers and practitioners from across Europe gathered at the European Centre for Modern Languages (ECML) of the Council of Europe in Graz for the ECML–EC Colloquium “Multiple voices in the classroom: Harnessing the power of regional and minority languages in secondary education.” The event brought together 49 participants from 27 countries and representatives of 11 international associations and institutions. The event took place within the framework of a cooperation agreement between the ECML and the European Commission (EC), which was represented by Anna Solé Mena. A livestream allowed a wider public to follow the discussions online.
Building on the 2023 colloquium on regional and minority languages (RMLs) within a plurilingual context, and framed by the 2022 Council of Europe Recommendation on plurilingual and intercultural education for democratic culture, this event focused specifically on secondary education. Discussions explored policy developments, innovative pedagogical approaches, and the experience of newcomers learning RMLs in multilingual classrooms.
Keynote presentations offered insights from diverse European contexts, with examples from Polish schools on languages in competition and linguistic diversity, and the inclusion of migrant background pupils in a Swedish minority context in Finland. These presentations set the stage for panel discussions, which explored what motivates newcomers to learn RMLs, the contribution of minority languages to cultural identity and social cohesion, and the challenges teachers face in increasingly multilingual classrooms. Throughout the day, participants shared best practices and innovative teaching approaches that are adaptable and transferable to other educational contexts.
Through case studies, group discussions and networking opportunities, the colloquium highlighted effective educational practices and identified emerging needs within the RML professional community. The insights generated will help guide future ECML projects and research initiatives, strengthen cooperation among stakeholders, and support the further development of effective RML teaching practices in secondary education.
A recording of the event and presentations will be made available on the dedicated website from 17 December 2025: www.ecml.at/rml2025colloquium