EC offers language schools opportunity to shine - Watson

12.07.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 4th Sep 2008

Following the launch this week of the "Juvenes Translatores", a European Commission competition for schools and colleges, local Lib Dem MEP Graham Watson is encouraging local schools from across the region to enter the contest and fly the flag for the UK.

Graham who is himself a qualified interpreter who speaks four European languages, and is currently learning Mandarin commented;

"The event last year was a great success, I am encouraging schools and colleges from the Westcountry and Gibraltar to get involved and register. It's a great opportunity for those who get involved.

I know from my visits to schools and colleges across the region that we have some brilliant young linguists who could excel in this competition."

Editors note:-

All EU schools are invited to register between 1 September and 20 October 2008 for the European Commission "Juvenes Translatores" contest to be held on 27 November 2008.

Translators work with written text - as opposed to interpreters, whose tool is the spoken word. Professional translators translate from a foreign language into their native language, so the text they produce sounds as natural and fluent as possible

In March 2009, the winners will be invited to a ceremony in Brussels to receive their prizes form the Commissioner for Multilingualism, Leonard Orban.

Schools can register via the contest website http://ec.europa.eu/translatores