The project produces documentaries in which members of communities share the languages that they speak, the stories behind these languages and the role of language in their professional and personal lives. Through language we give ‘voice’ to communities and the unique attributes of those voices such as cultural identity and heritage. Language is also key to connecting with one another, educational achievement, socioeconomic mobility, and comprehension of critical information, such as healthcare guidelines. The documentaries serve as input for public dialogues about language issues, practices and policies at stake. The first documentary, VU Language Stories, was launched on 18 September 2025 at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The second and third, on Ghanaian and Okanisi language stories, are currently in the making. The Centre for Global English will collaborate with her partners to produce language stories from around the world.
UNESCO patronage for VU Centre for Global English
4 December 2025
The Centre for Global English has been assigned patronage by The Netherlands Commission for UNESCO for its project Language Stories.