Language, Technologies and the Future of Europe

International conference. September 21, 2012. Riga, Latvia

The conference will bring together leading European and Baltic specialists and government representatives to gain an understanding and create a vision of the future role of national languages in Europe. The ideal of multilingualism and the fate of smaller languages depends on the ability of Europe to support a viable language technology research and development program to reduce language barriers.

Europe is not at risk from economic and financial crises alone.  Language barriers are a key barrier to European unity.  Language barriers impede the free movement of goods, services and export. On the other hand national languages are a source of pride and identity for every European and a commitment to language diversity is one of the strengths and core values of the European Union.

Smaller languages come under the greatest pressure in an internet dominated world. Language Technologies can overcome language barriers.  In our modern world there is a future for only those languages who are supported by appropriate language technology solutions.


Conference themes:

  • Study: European Languages in the Digital Age
    META-NET research papers published by Springer
  • Presentation of the European open language resource infrastructure META-SHARE
  • European Commission activities in fostering advancement and use of language technologies
  • National language development programs (Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia)
  • Language Shore - Latvian initiative on smaller language development
  • Launch of the LetsMT! machine translation platform (developed in the EC ICT-PSP Programme)
  • Demonstrations of language technology solutions

Video presentations from conference

Contact information: conference@tilde.com; +371 67605755