LIVE Wins the European Language Label 2026: A European Recognition of Multilingual Identity Work

When the message arrived that LIVE had been selected for the European Language Label 2026, it felt like a moment in which years of research, collaboration, and multilingual community work suddenly stood in the same light. The award, granted by the national Erasmus+ agencies on behalf of the European Commission, is one of Europe’s most respected recognitions for innovation in language learning. It celebrates projects that rethink how languages are taught, learned, lived, and valued and this year, LIVE was chosen as one of those projects.

The European Language Label is not simply a prize; it is a statement about the future of multilingual Europe. It honors initiatives that make language learning more creative, inclusive, and socially meaningful. For us, it affirms that multilingual identity work, the core of the iLanguage philosophy, has a place at the heart of European educational innovation.

LIVE stood out because it brings together research, practice, and digital creativity in a way that places the human experience of language at the center. The project is rooted in the iLanguage concept, which understands every language a person speaks as part of their lived identity. Instead of dividing languages into categories like “mother tongue” or “foreign language,” LIVE invites participants to explore where their languages live in their daily lives: which ones they use in intimate spaces, which ones accompany them in education or work, and which ones connect them to family, memory, or cultural belonging. This shift from language as a skill to language as identity, resonated strongly with the jury.

Throughout the project, multilingual youth, educators, migrants, and community members engaged in non‑formal learning environments that allowed them to explore their linguistic repertoires in personal and relational ways. Methods such as Linguistic Living Spaces, storytelling, and biographical reflection created spaces where participants could speak about their languages not as abstract systems, but as parts of themselves. In these conversations, differences became visible, and at the same time, shared experiences emerged. Austrian and Turkish participants discovered how coffee traditions, though culturally distinct, carry the same social warmth. Romanian and Polish participants recognized each other’s summer memories of nature, grandparents, and the taste of watermelon. These moments of recognition made Europe’s multilingual reality tangible, emotional, and deeply human.

A key element of LIVE’s innovation was the LIVE App, a digital companion designed to support identity‑based language learning. The app invited participants to upload images, record their voices, document cultural memories, and reflect on their linguistic journeys. It became a space where multilingual identity could be expressed creatively and safely, before, during, and after the training sessions. The integration of AI‑supported reflection and personalized prompts added a modern dimension to the project, showing how technology can strengthen, rather than replace, human connection in language learning.

What makes the European Language Label especially meaningful is its emphasis on long‑term impact. LIVE’s methods, materials, and digital tools remain openly accessible, allowing youth workers, educators, and institutions across Europe to adopt and adapt the approach. The project does not end with the award; it continues as a growing movement for multilingual empowerment.

For the iLanguage team, receiving the European Language Label is a profound honor. It acknowledges the academic foundations of the work, the creativity of the partners, and the courage of the participants who shared their stories. It affirms that multilingual identity work is not only relevant but essential for an inclusive European future. And it strengthens our mission: to make every language visible, every speaker confident, and every multilingual story heard.

LIVE’s recognition is, above all, a celebration of people, their languages, their memories, their cultural anchors, and the spaces where identity and communication meet. We are deeply grateful for this honor and excited to continue expanding the iLanguage vision across Europe and beyond.