Better job opportunities, learning about new cultures, seeing the world through a different lens, mental flexibility. These are just some of the often talked about and indeed wonderful benefits of learning foreign languages. But there’s another important side of the coin and here at ProLingua Global, we’d like to beat the drum for the bigger picture too.

Founder Gabriella Ferenczi explains more.

Humanity is facing global challenges. Climate change, global warming, ecological collapse, accelerating pace of technological change, humanitarian crisis, wars, pandemic. These are all examples of enormous challenges that can only be solved through global collaboration. Collaboration between people, peoples, businesses, nations, states, countries and governments.

Global collaboration requires us to understand the other party we’re dealing with. Why do they think so different? What is their background? Why do they perceive the same thing entirely different to us?

Successful global collaboration is only possible when we find a common ground, a common denominator with the other party. To find that common ground, conversations are essential.

“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”

Nelson Mandela

We must forge these conversations! And that’s where language learning comes into the picture. 

Through our exercise of learning a new language, we are able to change our perspectives about the world and our own place in it. It allows us to find common ground with people who are culturally different from ourselves. When you learn to speak a foreign language, you actively work on facilitating understanding between people, businesses, countries and governments. 

Speaking a foreign language opens up many doors and expands your consciousness in unprecedented ways. It gives you access to new worlds, new ideas and new people; each of which has the potential to help us solve global challenges and make a difference in our world.

Language is an indispensable tool for communication. It can unite the world’s peoples in a common effort toward truth and progress; it can promote understanding and empathy among individuals – even when they are far apart.  Our ability to solve problems stems from the ability to understand each other. Understanding can only come from a place of empathy, not from tunnel vision.

Here at ProLingua Global, we specialise in working with executives and corporate leaders in the financial services industry.

We understand that finance companies are playing a key role in building a sustainable lifestyle and shaping the future of humanity. Sustainable finance and ESG (environmental, social and governance) criteria are now part of business and investment decisions in the finance sector. Finance companies and leaders take great pride in supporting various green and sustainable initiatives on a global scale.

While we can’t change the world overnight, our vision is that by helping our clients achieve their language goals, individuals can enrich the quality of life in their communities and have a meaningful impact on global issues. 

It’s easy to lose sight of this bigger picture. So often, we can’t see the forest for the trees. But the world is facing challenges and global collaboration is now more urgent than it’s ever been.

If you wish to dig further this subject and understand more about the global context, here’s an interesting and inspiring talk by Daniel Kahneman and Yuval Noah Harari on ‘Global Trends Shaping Humankind’, a conversation moderated by Kara Swisher.

Now we’d like to hear from you. What do you think about the role of languages in today’s globalised world? Can they help us solve global challenges? 

Let us know in the comment section below.