Michael

Hello, I am Michael D’Elia and I am presently enrolled in the fourth semester of the Languages Program at Dawson College.

I speak Italian, Spanish, English, French and German. Since I was younger, I experienced the advantage of being multilingual because I had the opportunity to interact with other language groups and perfectly immerse myself in their daily lives. I became aware that I could even facilitate the conversation between several people that did not speak the same language. I realized how fortunate I was to be able to help everyone to understand each other! I truly believe that languages create bridges that unite people and allow cooperation among individuals from different cultures and backgrounds. My passion for languages is the reason why I am looking forward to pursue a career in Translation.

Besides Language learning, which is my greatest passion, I enjoy travelling and discovering new places. I am also interested in learning world history as it allows me to understand aspects from the past that affect our present lives. I find it very pleasant to play soccer with my friends and to follow daily exercise routines to stay as healthy as possible. I really love bike riding, especially through long bike paths in the forest. During the week-ends, I practice swimming and enjoy cooking Italian food with my father. I recently started to play the guitar which has become a pleasurable activity that allows me to relax and have fun.

For the purpose of this course, I would like to produce a research paper about how the mastery of languages may lead to world peace. I find this interesting due to the complexity of global problems which require a better understanding and cooperation among nations with different cultures and languages. That is why several international organisations and world leaders have turned their attention towards Multilingualism as a possible tool to solve universal problems and ease tensions. UNESCO and the European Union have supported foreign language learning programs like Linguapax and Erasmus, which aim to create a better understanding among nations. In addition, important world figures like Pope Jean Paul II and Nelson Mandela learned foreign languages in order to build trust, solve conflicts and spread messages of peace.

I am excited to explore how learning others’ languages may contribute to create a better and more harmonious world. The previous examples have widened my interest for a career in Languages, because I may put my skills to the service of dialogue, cooperation and peace of the world.

Blog #2

Group Discussion & Feedback

Blog #3

Thoughts and Ideas

I've been having lots of fun discovering many points of view, arguing on the fact that if Multilingualism can lead to world peace. Its also been interesting seeing the several authors argue against the fact that Multilingualism is the key to a more peaceful world. Rather than just focusing the points that favor my argument, I will be open to both sides, as it can be useful to make my paper stronger and more enjoyable. I am finding very interesting that the importance given to Multilingualism does not only come from Sociolinguists but that also other political and world leaders have turned their attention to language learning to enhance dialogue and promote world peace. I realize what a fascinating and powerful tool Multilingualism can be when it comes to building up understanding and cooperation among different cultures.

Annotated Bibliography

Figure 1 Figure 2

3)

Le Cordeur, Michael. “Mandela and Afrikaans: From Language of the Oppressor to Language of Reconciliation.” Nelson Mandela- Comparative Perspectives of his Significance for Education.1 Jan.2017, pp.45-61. www.docplayer.net/33676551-Mandela- and-afrikaans-from-language-of-the-oppressor-to-language-of- reconciliation.html. Accessed 5 Feb. 2022.

Le Cordeur explores President Nelson Mandela’s interest in learning the Afrikaans language during his 27 years of imprisonment. Until then, Afrikaans had been considered the language that was used to oppress the coloured people of South Africa. However, the author explains how Mandela used the Afrikaans language to understand the Afrikaner, their history and their culture in order to create a more peaceful and inclusive South Africa.

Michael le Cordeur is a NRF-rated researcher, which identifies his high quality work on language policies and education. He holds a doctorate from Stellenbosch University and qualifications from the Universities of the Western Cape, South Africa and Stellenbosch's Graduate School of Business. He is the author and editor of various books and numerous papers which have been published nationally and internationally. In 2001, he co-authored the Western Cape Language Policy to ensure the equal status and use of the three official provincial languages, Afrikaans, English and isiXhosa. It also supports and promotes South African Sign Language, marginalised languages and the other official South African languages.

This academic paper will be useful to back up my statement that Multilingualism contributes to peace in the world. I will use Nelson Mandela’s example to prove that learning other languages builds up trust, cooperation and peace.

4)

Wible, Scott. “Composing Alternatives to a National Security Language Policy.” College English, vol. 71, no. 5, 2009, pp. 460–85, www.jstor.org/stable/25652986.Accessed 6 Feb. 2022.

Wible focuses on President George Bush’s 2006 National Security Initiative in the post 911 world in which he recognizes the vital role of foreign language learning to support military and intelligence operations .Wible explains how Multilingualism plays a major role in the U.S. homeland security and in the pursuit of peace missions around the world.

Scott Wible is an Associate Professor of English at the University of Maryland. He has done extensive research on language diversity and public policy. He is particularly interested in how entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives are currently reshaping U.S. higher education. Wible directs the Professional Writing Program and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in rhetorical theory, composition studies, and professional writing.

I am planning to use the example of President George Bush’s great interest in promoting foreign language learning to support my claim that Multilingualism is a key factor in keeping countries safe and in supporting collaboration with other nations to preserve the peace in the world.

I agree with President Bush's language learning initiative to promote the mastering of languages spoken in countries like China, Russia and Iran, where peace negotiations have been an issue due the lack of language proficiency of American representatives. However a point that needs to be emphasized is that the United States should also promote language learning from other countries that don't necessarily pose an imminent threat to the United States' national security. This could open new ways of interaction, enabling international cooperation on Global issues that demand better intercultural understanding.

Blog #4

Thoughts and Ideas

When I normally think about the Army, war is the first thing that comes to my mind. However it has been fascinating to discover that the core of the Peace Missions of the Austrian Army focuses on humanitarian aide that requests the knowledge of foreign languages. This is because soldiers are deployed to a variety of countries where they have to interact with the population to provide assistance and restore peace. This functions require the mastering of the locals’ language in order to be able to carry out with their duties. It is extraordinary to find out what a difference it makes to be able to engage with other individuals who know each other’s native language. This is also helpful when the Austrian forces work with soldiers from other countries with whom they can cooperate to accomplish their missions.

Figure 4

Annotated Bibliography

5)

Ernst, Josef. “Multilingualism as an intercultural phenomenon in the framework of Peace support operations.” National Defense Academy. Apr. 2019, www.natobilc.org/Multilingualism %20as%20an%20intercultural.pdf. Accessed Feb.12 2022.

Josef Ernst Director of the Austrian Armed Forces Language Institute. He became a teacher, interpreter and translator after graduating from the Linguistic Master Programme at the University of Vienna. His cooperation with the Language Training Institute of the Czech Armed Forcesin Vyškov resulted in the creation of the Czech-German Dictionary of Czech Military Abbreviations. He has served for military foreign missions with the United Nations on Cyprus, South Lebanon, Syria and in Israel. He has dedicated many years to train soldiers linguistically and inter-culturally to guarantee the successful interaction in Peace Support Operations.

Ernst states that a remarkable feature of most missions in the past, was the fact that the soldiers, although they had a good command in the working language: English (at least in management positions), they rarely did they have any rudimentary knowledge of the national language where they were deployed. His research focus on the need to train soldiers to fully carry missions of cooperation and peace keeping.

I will use this research paper to add another fact to support my claim that Multilingualism is a necessity to take on mediation missions of peace which can only be carried on successfully with true dialogue among individuals from different backgrounds who need to cooperate in the pursuit of common goals.

6)

Jacobone, Vittoria and Giuseppe Moro. “Evaluating the impact of the Erasmus programme: skills and European identity.” Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 28 Apr. 2014, pp.1-20, www.academia.edu /24871193 /Assessment_and _Evaluation _in _Higher_Education_Evaluating_the_impact_ of_the_ Erasmus_programme _skills _and_ European_identity. Accessed Feb. 13 2022.

Vittoria Jacobone and Giuseppe Moro explore the effect of The Erasmus Programme (European Region Action Scheme for the Mobility of University Students) which was launched by the European Union in 1987 to offer young Europeans the experience of student life in one of the 33 participating countries. These researchers conducted a comparative study between a group of participants of the Erasmus program and a team of students who followed their internship in their home country.

Vittoria Jacobone is a European PhD in psychology at the University of Bari. Her primary research interests include the evaluation of educative and formative policies. Giuseppe Moro is an associate professor of Sociology at the School of Education of the University of Bari. Both are members of the Italian Evaluation Association, Italian Sociology Association and Italian Psychology Association. They are involved in several research programs regarding local development, training and local development, and impact evaluation of development policies in the south of Italy.

These researchers claim that the results of their investigation show that the Erasmus program strengthens the competences of participants, thus representing an effective means of acquiring foreign language skills, greater self-awareness. They conclude that the Erasmus program promotes the individual’s development of skills required by modern European work markets and it also encourages international understanding.

I am planning to use the results from this research study to defend my argument that Multilingualism is a great way to build bridges among nations. The importance given by many countries through programs like Erasmus is an indication that the acquisition of foreign language skills and inter-cultural exposure is highly considered to find common ground among different cultures, which paves the way for a more accepting and cooperative world.

Something to which I don’t agree, is that political decisions get on the way of many students. For example, the participation of British students has been compromised since the separation of the United Kingdom from the European Union because of Brexit. If Britain ends freedom of movement with the European Union, it may be suspended from the program, as was the case with Switzerland. Thousands of students would be then banned to participate in this promising program which aims to promote cooperation and not division among nations.

Blog #5

Thesis Statement and Topic Sentences

Multilingualism may lead to the betterment of diplomatic relationships by enhancing intercultural dialogue, facilitating international cooperation and appeasing conflicts between nations. World leaders like Nelson Mandela, George W. Bush and Pope John Paul II as well and International organizations like UNESCO and the Austrian Armed Forces have embraced multilingualism to enhance dialogue and advocate for the improvement of diplomatic relations that could lead to world peace.

1) Multilingualism offers the opportunity for true dialogue by allowing individuals to cross the border of their own understanding and to be open to other people's thoughts.

2) By mastering foreign languages, individuals achieve a deeper understanding of each other's cultures and are better prepared to cooperate to achieve common goals.

3) Multilingualism makes it easier to understand other's points of view and become more tolerant and conciliatory to the escalation of international conflicts.

Feedback from Peer-review

Today I discussed my thesis statement and topic sentences to a few of my colleagues. I was pleased to receive positive feedback from them. They told me that my thesis statement was clear and easy to follow. They found that the 3 topic sentences supported my main argument in a precise manner. They also commented that these topic sentences relate to one another and make my statement strong.

Annotated Bibliography

Figure 3

7)

Celeste, Sofia. “ Language may be key for next pope John Paul II's abilities set high standard.” The Boston Globe, 15 Apr. 2005, www. archive.boston.com/news /world/ europe/articles/2005/04/15/language _may_be_key _for_ next_ pope/. Accessed 23 Feb. 2022

Sofia Celeste completed an MA in Journalism and moved to Rome to cover the Vatican for The Boston Globe and went on to write about Italy’s economy, political arena and luxury and retail industry, as a staff reporter for Dow Jones Newswires and the Wall Street Journal. She is presently the editor of the Fashion Minority Alliance, an online magazine and Italy-based Diversity and Inclusion which holds programmes within the fashion and beauty industries to end inequality, exclusion, classism, and racism faced by historically marginalised minorities.

In this articles from the Boston Globe, she writes about her interview with Marco Politti, the co-author of 'His Holiness: John Paul II and the Hidden History of Our Time”. In her article, Celeste expresses how Politti witnessed the importance that Pope John Paul II gave to language learning to communicate his messages of peace for millions in the world. His biographer mentions that the Pope made a priority to learn Spanish and that made a difference to enable dialogue with many leaders in the world, like Fidel Castro and Augusto Pinochet.

I will use the information in this article to support the fact that John Paul II knowledge of Spanish allowed him to become a mediator in the Beagle conflict between Chili and Argentina which thanks to his intervention, resolved in a peace agreement between those countries in 1985.

8)

Weigel, George. Witness to Hope The Biography of John Paul II. Harper Collins, 2001.

George Weigel is a Roman Catholic theologian and Senior fellow of the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He is the author of numerous books one of the world’s preeminent commentators on the Catholic Church.

Among many biographical facts about Pope John Paul II , Weiger ‘ book describes the personal involvement of Pope John Paul II as a mediator in the conflict between Chili and Argentina. These two countries were able to come to an agreement about territorial disputes which put them in the verge of war.

I will use the information about this matter to sustain my point that Multilingualism becomes a powerful tool to engage in dialogue even in the most difficult situations and providing effective ways to appease conflicts among nations. Paul John Paul’s mediation was possible due to his remarkable knowledge of language and the culture of those Latin American countries. John Paul II was able to set up understanding and compromising setting a great example to the world.

Even though some people believe that Church and politics should be treated aside, the example of the resolution of the Beagle Conflict through the help of a Multilingual Catholic Pope underlines that language is a powerful mean that goes beyond the division of religion and government. Language proficiency is the key that opens the way to fair discussion and cooperation leading to conflict resolution and peace.

Tentative Title

Promoting Peace in the World: Multilingualism and Diplomatic Relations

Blog #6

Reflections on Writing

It has been a fascinating experience to research about Multilingualism because I have been able to witness how beneficial the mastering of foreign language can be to enhance cooperation and ease conflicts in the world. I have been moved by the broad influence that Multilingualism has on so many international relations which are often endangered by the lack of deep communication and understanding.

I have been touched by how much openness and compassion Multilingualism can bring between individuals who make the effort to cross the bridge of their linguistic and cultural barriers. The experience of Nelson Mandela has made me reflect on how speaking other people’s language creates a neutral frame of comprehension which can approach individuals beyond their political differences. There have been some topics that have surprised me, like the intervention of Pope Jean Paul II in the territorial conflict of Chili and Argentina, which due to his linguistic skills was able to contribute to a peaceful agreement between those two countries. I never could have imagined that Pope Jean Paul’s knowledge of Spanish could have made such difference on international relations, especially when many believe in the independence of church and state matters.

My research has changed my point of view on the Armed Forces, which I used to conceptualize solely as units organized to conduct military-attack operations. However, it has been interesting to discover that Multilingualism plays a key role on keeping Peace Missions working properly in many countries in the world. Soldiers in battle fields need to communicate in order to carry on their operations and the knowledge of other languages certainly becomes key when they need to coordinate with comrades with different linguistic backgrounds. Now I am more aware of how important it is for the soldiers to communicate in the language of the country where they are deployed in order to serve the purpose of humanitarian aid.

It has been interesting to learn about how much effort International Organizations are putting on promoting multilingualism in order to create rapprochement between nations through foreign language learning. Learning about programs like Erasmus motivates me to keep learning languages because the experiences of thousands of students confirm that multilingualism has made them more tolerant and understanding of others’ cultures. This is encouraging for someone like me, who will be pursuing a career in translation, aiming to facilitate intercultural dialogue and cooperation. This research has made me aware that multilingualism plays a fundamental role in the functioning of international health facilities. For example, health professionals working for the UN hospitals recruit health professionals from different countries who must understand each other in order to save lives.

I was surprised to learn that President Bush acknowledged that many US diplomatic missions have failed due to the lack of linguistic proficiency of the American representatives. This underlines the key role that Multilingualism plays on national security and peace operations in the world. This has become more evident to me with the recent war events that have unfolded between Ukraine and Russia which represent the opposite approach in the betterment of International relationships. It makes it clear that Multilingualism must be put to use between nations willing to come up with diplomatic solutions through dialogue and understanding instead of resorting to the devastating resource of war. Writing about Multilingualism makes me hopeful that all nations will gradually embrace foreign language learning as a primary tool to build a world where priority can be given to dialogue, cooperation and problem solving through peaceful negotiations.

Annotated Bibliography

9)

Buda, Mariana. “The Application of Multilingualism in the European Union – Rhetoric Question?” Papers.ssrn.com, 2010, ssrn.com/abstract=2233903.Accessed 21 Feb. 2022.

Mariana Buda is a financial reporting analyst and a member of the Department of International Relations and European Studies at the University of Oradea in Rumania. She has multiple publications on

Even if over time has taken action to favor multilingualism among its members, it seems that pure multilingualism poses practical difficulties and therefore tends to falter. In the majority of cases, the Parliament uses simultaneous translations for all the official languages ​​of the Union during a sitting. But, for economic reasons, it often happens that parliamentarians are “translated” only into the best-known languages: English and French. Similarly, the European Commission, which has its headquarters in Brussels, mainly uses English and French during its meetings, although the regulations establish the use of all official languages. Moreover, the learning of English being considered by many Europeans like a necessity, so learning a third language takes a back seat. Thus, Anglophony tends to dominate the mental and cultural traditions of continental Europe. She believes that the authorities and the media should increase awareness to avoid strengthening the hegemonic position of English.

In my paper, I will argue against this author’s point of view because I believe that it is not the time to focus on a particular language’s dominance over others. The main importance should be given to the enhancement of intercultural dialogue and the creation of opportunities to attain mutual and beneficial agreements.

I disagree with this author’s opinion because the world’s need for dialogue goes beyond the presumed dominance of any language over others. I think that it is time to leave that rhetoric behind and to focus the diplomatic efforts to achieving common understanding and possible solutions for all.

Blog #7

Thoughts and Ideas

As a student of the Language Program at Dawson and a future student at Concordia where I will pursue my studies on Translation it is very encouraging to see that language learning is taking a central stage in the world due to globalization. I believe in high education and in foreign language learning because I have witnessed personally that Multilingualism represents opportunities to immerse ourselves into other ways of thinking. The more the world becomes interdependent, the more multilingual people will be needed to create bonds of cooperation among individuals with different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. I have experienced the openness that people usually have when they are approached in their own language and I find that it opens the way to listen to different points of view. I am excited in continuing this professional path because I am convinced that language proficiency fulfills the growing need for intercultural understanding.

Annotated Bibliography

10)

.Adams, Michael, and Angelo Carfagna. Coming of Age in a Globalized World : The next Generation, Kumarian Press, 2006

Dr. J. Michael Adams was the president of Fairleigh Dickinson University and member of the United Nations University Council (UNU) from 1999 to 2012 where he advocated the role of higher education as a means to promote human development and peace. He was the author of nine books on communication. In 2006, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Kyungnam University, Korea, in recognition of his international leadership in higher education.

Angelo Carfagna is the Vice-President of University Communications at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey. He is the co-author of “Coming of Age in a Globalized World: The next Generation” where he stresses the importance of global education as a way to reconcile the contrast between nations.

This book explains how the world is rapidly changing, resulting in the interdependency of all nations. This complexity demands new linguistic connections to face and solve the problems that transcend national and cultural boundaries .The authors claim that to survive and succeed in this environment, individuals must understand the driving forces of globalization and the trends that are likely to shape our future.

I will use the following quotation which supports my argument that multilingualism is key to set the basis of intercultural dialogue: “Understanding the meaning of the words other people use yields perhaps the most insight into cultural differences" (Adams & Carfagna, 174).

Blog #8

Annotated Bibliography

Datta, Rakesh, and Sangeeta Khanna. “Leadership challenges in multinational medical peacekeeping operations: Lessons from UNIFIL Hospital.” Medical journal, Armed Forces India vol. 73, no 4, Oct 2017 pp. 414-419. dc153.dawsoncollege.qc.ca:2125 /pmc/articles/PMC5771722/pdf/main.pdf. Accessed March 29 2022.

Colonel Rakesh Datta is a Professor at the Armed Forces Medical College in Pune, India. He is an Editor In Chief at the Journal of Laryngology and Voice in Pune Area and has been a doctor in the Indian forces for 28 years. He was a Commanding Officer at a UNIFIL Hospital United Nations Peacekeeping from Apr 2011 - May 2012 in Borj El Naqoura, South, Lebanon.Colonel Sangeeta Khanna is a commander officer at Field in the Army Postal Service in India. Both doctors witnessed the challenges of working with a team of doctors who come from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds and acknowledged that having a common language was essential to assist the numerous casualties that required a precise team work under stressful and dangerous situations. In their article “Leadership challenges in multinational medical peacekeeping operations: Lessons from UNIFIL Hospital” these doctors underline the importance of multilingualism in the success of World Peace keeping missions.

I will use the experience related by Drs. Datta and Khanna to sustain my argument that Multilingualism is a determinant tool to bring groups of collaboration to the completion of high-demanding tasks. Language is at the core of understanding to allow professionals to carry on missions. If individuals lack of foreign language knowledge, cooperation is not possible and the life of soldiers can be at risk. This is an interesting example where professionals realize that beside their doctor careers, they need linguistic proficiency to bring a multicultural team together in order to save lives.

Stein-Smith, Kathleen.” Cosmopolitanism and Multilingualism in a Globalized World: Perspectives on the Lack of Foreign Language Learning in the US.” Theory and Practice in Language Studies, Vol. 11, No. 8, pp. 871-877, Aug. 2021, tpls.academypublication. com/index.php/tpls/article/view/1258/1007.Consulted 25 March 2022.

Kathleen Stein-Smith, PhD, Chevalier dans l'Ordre des Palmes académiques, is a dedicated foreign language educator and advocate.She serves as Chair of the AATF (American Association of Teachers of French) Commission on Advocacy and as a member of the ATA Education and Pedagogy Committee. She is also active in foreign language education associations, including the NECTFL Advisory Council, CSCTFL Advisory Council, and as a SCOLT sponsor. She has presented at numerous professional conferences at the state, regional, and national level, is the author of five books and numerous articles about the foreign language deficit and the importance of multilingualism. She has given a TEDx talk on the U.S. Foreign language deficit, has been interviewed by press and radio, and maintains a blog, “Language Matters. “THEORY AND PRACTICE IN LANGUAGE STUDIES877© 2021 ACADEMY PUBLICATION.

I will refer to Stein-Smith’s publication to show that Academics like her support Multilingualism because educators agree that it may help to solve the world’s problems by increasing our capacity to speak with each other as part of a global community. She is an advocate for Language instruction and the enhancing literacy and fluency, including knowledge of multiple languages, which she claims that is crucial to creating future ‘global citizens’ who can respond to the present world’s challenges.

The very process of language learning generally involves learning a great deal about the culture of the target language(s) through direct exposure to and discussion of authentic texts a d media reflecting not only the language, but also the beliefs and values of the other culture.

Thoughts and Ideas

I think that Kathleen Stein-Smith’s opinion is of great value because she is an educator who has witnessed the increasing need to motivate the younger generations to immerse themselves in the knowledge of foreign languages. She sustains that Multilingualism not only allows us to understand others’ vocabulary, but it opens the path to a closer approach of other nations’ way of thinking. This is related to the core of my essay’s intention, which is to demonstrate that foreign language is a fundamental tool towards trust, cooperation and better diplomatic relations among people who view the world in different ways. Multilingualism is considered by many professors and experts in communication as a solid possibility to allow nations to find common ground to cooperate through the understanding of their languages.

Blog #9

Annotated Bibliography

Ngubane, Baldwin Sipho. “Future of multilingualism in South Africa: From policy to practice. Keynote address given at the National Multilingualism Conference, Benoni, South Africa, 12 June 2003, www.polity.org.za/article/ngubane-national-multilingualism-consultative-conference-12062003-2003-06-12, Accessed March 29 2022.

Baldwin Sipho Ngubane was a politician from South Africa. He held multiple positions in the post-apartheid government of the country. He was minister of Arts and Culture from 1994 until 31 August 1996 and from February 1999 until April 2004.

Ngubane was and advocate for the development of South Africa. He was awarded an honorary PhD degree from the University of the Free State for his contribution towards positioning South Africa as a major and an influential player in the progress of arts, culture, science and technology internationally. He believed that multilingualism could be implemented in his country and contributed to establish a National Language Policy to promote literacy and foreign language learning to empower south Africans with better opportunities. He viewed multilingualism as a tool to foster respect and appreciation for others’ linguistic backgrounds and to build bridges of cooperation with other nations.

I will use a quote from his speech at the National Multilingualism Conference in Benoni, South Africa in June 2003, where he acknowledged the following, “ Multilingualism in South Africa will afford individuals great opportunities. Opportunities to make choices, opportunities to be empowered and opportunities to be educated”. Ngubane believed that the implementation of well-managed multilingualism in South Africa could have a positive impact on the economic, social, educational, political and personal growth of individuals.

Camara, Helder. “Spiral of Violence.”Sheed and Ward Ltd, 1971.

Dom Helder Camara was the Archbishop of Olinda and Recife in the North-East of Brazil from 1964 to 1985. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1970 due to his advocacy for equality between developed and underdeveloped countries. In his book Spiral of Violence he calls for all nations to find common ground through universal understanding. In 1975, he was awarded the Pacem in Terris Award, initiated by the Catholic Interracial Council of the Diocese of Davenport, Iowa. It was named after a 1963 encyclical letter by Pope John XXIII that calls upon all people of good will to secure peace among all nations.

Until his death in 1999, Camera lived under constant danger of assassination due to his open fight against poverty and repression during the military dictatorship in Brazil.

In this work, I will use the following quote which reflects his support for Multilingualism as a possible approach to de-escalate violence and oppression in the world: “Keep your language. Love its sounds, its modulation, its rhythm. But try to march together with men of different languages, remote from your own, who wish like you for a more just and human world.”

Thoughts and Ideas

This is the last author that I will be adding to complete my research for this interesting project.

I have learned so much from every source that has made me able to carry on this work. I have had the possibility to reflect on the importance of Multilingualism and analyze it from different perspectives. It has been a great experience to see that foreign language learning is valued as a potential tool to make a difference on international relations and gives me hope that with everyone's effort, we could one day claim that understanding has made it possible to build a peaceful world.

First Introduction Sentence

There is a general consensus among nations that multilingualism facilitates understanding and cooperation, but some scholars argue that it could be problematic for certain social groups.

Blog #10

Reaction to peer review

The insight received by my colleague Veronica Kirles was very helpful to review my work, as she pointed out some details that I had overlooked.

First, she reminded me to create a cover page to attach to my essay.

She also made me realize that my first paragraph was too long. As I followed her recommendations, I restructured it to improve my essay’s introduction.

She pointed out that I should review my in-text citations which made me revise my work to ensure that everything was properly done. She found that my topic sentences were clear which reassured me that my arguments were accurate to sustain my claim.

She reviewed my writing style and concluded that everything was well written and without any grammatical errors which I have very carefully verified. She also confirmed that my sources are well cited in MLA style.

Finally, Veronica assessed that my final sentence is strong and gives a good closure to my essay.

I am grateful for Veronica’s constructive comments which have contributed to the betterment of this essay.

Promoting Peace in the World: Multilingualism and Diplomatic Relations

There is a general consensus among nations that multilingualism facilitates understanding and cooperation, but some scholars argue that it could be problematic for certain social groups. For example, Blommaert and Spotti claim that some nationalistic groups in Finland view multilingualism with suspicion due to past foreign territorial interference. They believe that multilingualism can isolate individuals who lack the skills to fully participate in society (Blommaert and Spotti 11). Contrastively, Ben Ngubane, former South African Minister of Culture, supported multilingualism because he believed that “it could provide people great opportunities to make choices, to be empowered and to be educated” (Ngubane). Today’s globalized world requires setting differences aside to solve common problems, thereby great importance is being given to learning foreign languages. World leaders like Nelson Mandela, George W. Bush and Pope John Paul II as well as International organizations like UNESCO and the Austrian Armed Forces have embraced multilingualism to enhance dialogue and advocate for the improvement of diplomatic relations among nations. Thus, this paper argues that multilingualism may lead to world peace by enhancing intercultural dialogue, facilitating international cooperation and defusing conflicts between countries.

Multilingualism offers the opportunity for true dialogue by allowing individuals to cross the border of their own understanding and to be open to other people’s thoughts. Nevertheless, Mariana Buda a member of the Department of International Relations and European Studies in Romania argues that learning English creates a dominant trend over the European culture (Buda 9). However, Kathleen Stein-Smith, Chair of the American Association of French teachers supports multilingualism and affirms that, “those who master one or more additional languages can understand, communicate and interact with others more effectively” (Stein-Smith 871). Similarly, Nawal Al-Fattah, a researcher from Taif University, claims that “dialogue is the heart of peace; and to open the closed door of dialogue, we need the key of language” (Al-Fattah 32). In other words, knowing each other's linguistic and cultural backgrounds facilitates deeper communication and trust which is essential to building peaceful and lasting intercultural relationships. For example, during his 27 years in prison, Nelson Mandela learned Afrikaans, the language of his Afrikaner white guards which enabled him to “understand their history and their culture to create a new South Africa where everyone, including Afrikaners who felt threatened, could feel welcome” (Le Cordeur 32). Mandela’s famous quote, “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, it goes to his head”, reveals his belief in the value of dialogue which paved the way for a more peaceful and inclusive South Africa. Similarly, many International Organisms support the idea of cross cultural exposure through language learning to encourage dialogue among different cultures. The Erasmus program of the European Union promotes tolerance and peace through the immersion of thousands of students in other cultures and languages. Researchers Vittoria Jacobone and Giuseppe Moro surveyed 505 Italian students who participated in the Erasmus programme during the 2011-2012 academic year. The result of their extensive study revealed that “a high degree of satisfaction emerges among Erasmus students regarding foreign languages competence and intercultural relations” (Jacobone and Moro 17). The examples from the experience of Nelson Mandela and the success of the Erasmus program highlight the importance of multilingualism in today’s globalized world. Adams and Carfagna state that “understanding the meaning of the words other people use yields perhaps the most insight into cultural differences” (Adams and Carfagna, 174). In short, the mastery of foreign languages allows us to immerse ourselves in the thinking and behavior of other cultures, put aside prejudices and become a bridge for dialogue and peace.

Proficiency in foreign languages allows individuals to gain a deeper understanding of different cultures and to be better prepared to cooperate with others to achieve common goals. The experience of Drs. Datta Rakesh and Sangetta Khana’s deployment to a UN health center in Lebanon illustrates how multilingualism enables cooperation between people from different linguistic backgrounds. In 2011, Dr. Rakesh and Dr. Khana worked with a team of health professionals from five different countries helping troops from more than twenty nations and realized that “the role of a common language (English) was important and helped to overcome the linguistic barrier” (Rakesh and Khana 417). They also admitted that “the availability of medical personnel speaking that language from the same country was then invaluable” (Rakesh and Khana 417). In sum, these doctors recognized that team work could not have been achieved without a common language to support their goal. A similar testimony by Josef Ernst, a member of the Austrian Armed Forces Language Institute states that “only the combination of multilingualism together with intercultural competence largely share the success in fulfilling the mission of Peace Support Operations”(Ernst 16). He believes that Austrian military deployments are efficient because “the soldiers are mission-informed not only about the mandate, goal and purpose of the associated tasks, but also inter-culturally and linguistically prepared for the respective region” (Ernst 169). These examples highlight how foreign language proficiency contributes to the success of joint efforts that enable well-being and peace in the world.

Multilingualism makes it easier to understand different points of view and become more tolerant and conciliatory, to avoid the escalation of international conflicts. For example, in 2006, President George W. Bush acknowledged that the lack of linguistic and cultural competence often restricted international diplomatic missions. Thus, he introduced a National Security Language Initiative to encourage Americans to learn Middle Eastern languages and cultures as an essential component of the U.S. national security in the post- 9/11 world. Bush's $114 million dollar program called for foreign language education for military and diplomatic personnel to be able to communicate in the farthest reaches of this world to protect the American people” (Wible 460). This important initiative underlines the critical role of multilingualism in maintaining the security and peace of the United States and the world. Multilingualism has proved to be fundamental in the resolution of international conflicts. For example, due to his knowledge of Spanish and culture of Latin American countries, Pope John Paul II became a mediator in the Beagle Chanel conflict between Chile and Argentina in 1978. Italian publisher Marco Politti declared, that “the ability of Pope John Paul II to speak other languages allowed him to make better contacts with world leaders” and become a bearer of peace. (Politti, qtd. in Celeste). His biographer George Weigel stated that “it was only the direct, personal initiative of John Paul II that prevented a small but bloody war” (Weigel 273). These examples show that multilingualism is essential to strengthen diplomatic relations in order to defuse conflicts among nations.

Globalization demands expanding our knowledge of foreign language, because intercultural communication plays a fundamental role in dialogue, collaboration and peace. Multilingualism enhances creativity and helps to look beyond cultural stereotypes which could be a decisive factor to bring nations together. The extensive examples provided in this study give enough evidence that multilingualism is a unifier rather than a divider; it plays a key role in international dialogue, cooperation and conflict management. The following excerpt from the book Spiral of Violence, by Helder Camara sums up the essence of multilingualism as a potential factor in improving diplomatic relations that could lead to world peace:“Keep your language. Love its sounds, its modulation, and its rhythm. But try to march together with men of different languages, remote from your own, who wish like you, for a more just and human world”(Camara 61).

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Oral Presentation

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