April 2008: Minister of state visited Mercator Research Centre
Shortly after the visit of Euro commissioner Leonard Orban to Fryslân, on April 4 and 5, the Dutch Minister for European Affairs, Frans Timmermans, visited the Mercator Research Centre to discuss its activities, its current position, and its ambitions. Being fluent in the mother tongue and two other languages is a prerequisite for European citizenship, thus said the Dutch Minister for European Affairs after his visit to the Mercator Research Centre.
The discussion very much concentrated on the European policy on multilingualism and the European tendency towards “English only” on the one hand and the trilingual school approach in Fryslân. On the basis of the equality of languages, Frisian pupils learn three languages Dutch, Frisian and English in primary school. In secondary school another foreign language is acquired.
Mr. Timmermans considered the positive results of multilingual education in Fryslân very useful for the further development of multilingual education in the Netherlands and in Europe. He expressed his gratitude to the work of the Mercator Research Centre and his willingness to assist the Mercator Research Centre to realise the European ambitions.