First Brussels Multilingualism Week
Eerste week van de meertaligheid
Première semaine bruxelloise
du multilinguisme
Save the date and become a partner
From Monday 9 to Saturday 14 February 2026, the first Brussels Multilingualism Week will take place, organised by the Brussels Council for Multilingualism in collaboration with the Brussels-Capital Region.
At your place.
Together with your school, company, organisation, association, municipality, etc., you are warmly invited to become partners in this unprecedented initiative by organising during that week an activity that promotes multilingualism in your own way. This activity can be mentioned on the website of the Brussels Multilingualism Week as a contribution to the efforts made throughout our region during this week to celebrate linguistic diversity and make the people of Brussels more and better multilingual.
At the Bourse/Beurs.
On Saturday 14 February, the Bourse building will host several debates on the challenges facing the promotion of multilingualism in Brussels and welcome stands presenting initiatives that contribute to celebrating linguistic diversity or making Brussels residents more and better multilingual. Throughout the week, the Bourse building can also host activities pursuing these objectives.
If you are considering participating in this first Brussels Multilingualism Week
- by organising during the week of 9 February 2026, at your own place or at the Bourse, an activity that fits within this framework and/or
- by holding a stand presenting your activities on Saturday 14 February at the Bourse/Beurs,
please complete the online form as soon as possible and before 15 November
and attend the information session on Tuesday 18 November at 4 p.m.
at the Bourse/Beurse (room to the right of the main hall, after the stairs).
To express your interest, you can also send an email to info@multilingualism.brussels.
The Brussels Council for Multilingualism
The Brussels Council for Multilingualism was established in September 2020 on the initiative of Sven Gatz, Brussels Minister for the Promotion of Multilingualism.
Mission
In consultation with the Minister, the Council draws up strategic guidelines and helps develop a sustainable policy on all matters relating the promotion of multilingualism. It does so by sharing with policy makers both existing expertise and new insights stemming from the experience of its members. It thereby ensures that attention is continually paid to the topic of multilingualism in the Brussels Capital Region.
The Council is committed to the central objective stated in the Minister’s Vision Note: to promote, among the entire Brussels population, the ability to communicate in French, Dutch and English, while recognizing the importance and added value of learning and transmitting all the native languages spoken in our cosmopolitan capital city, and ensuring a good command of at least one of the school languages.
Memorandum
In February 2024, the Council published a memorandum addressed to candidates in regional, community, federal and municipal elections. It contains two sets of recommendations, one aimed at making Brussels public services more multilingual (‘Mieux accueillir/ Beter onthalen’), the other aimed at making Brussels citizens more multilingual (‘Mieux équiper/ Beter uitrusten’).
Composition
Council members are appointed by the Minister for a three-year term. They serve in a personal capacity, not as representatives of their organisations. The Council currently consists of:
- Sofia BUSATTO (EUNIC)
- Patrizia CIVETTA (Foyer vzw)
- Birgid DECLEYN (Basisschool Pacheco)
- Nell FOSTER (ULB)
- Thierry GEERTS (BECI)
- Brigitte NEERVOORT (RABKO)
- Wim VANDENBUSSCHE (VUB)
- Philippe VAN PARIJS (UCLouvain & KU Leuven)
- Floprence VERBANCK (EPFC)
- Melinda ZIJP (Ville de Bruxelles/Stad Brussel)
The Council is assisted by Sheraz RAFI et Vanessa PASCUCCI (members of the cabinet of the minister).
Steering group
In September 2025, the Council established a Steering Group for Brussels Multilingualism Week. It is composed of:
- Pascale DE MEUE (CEPEONS)
- Laurence DE RUETTE (Institut st Boniface)
- Hilde DE SMEDT (Foyer vzw)
- Pascale FABRE (Bruxelles Formation)
- Thierry GEERTS (BECI)
- Salim HAOUACH (Ras El Hanout)
- Dirk JACOBS (ULB)
- Laurence METTEWIE (UNamur)
- Brigitte MYLE (VGC)
- Brigitte NEERVOORT (RABKO)
- Anne POSMA (Tracé Brussel vzw), vice-présidente
- Mathis SAEYS (VUB)
- Anna SOLE MENA (European Commission)
- Leyla TIELEMANS (ULB)
- Wim VANDENBUSSCHE (VUB)
- Philippe VAN PARIJS (UCLouvain & KU Leuven), président
- Piet VERVAECKE (OCB)
and is assisted by Amil DJELLAL, Sheraz RAFI and Vanessa PASCUCCI (cabinet of the minister).