The Language We Talk is a project and documentary that involves refugee and immigrant young people. The young newcomers to Belgium, before learning one of the national languages, often learn English. This phenomenon is evident with the refugee children that have spent the beginning of their stay in Belgium in refugee hospitality camps, run by the Red Cross or Fedasil.
The friendship between the young people from different nationalities formed in the camps often endures and lasts long. More often than not these connections are the only significant ones in the social life of these young people outside their ethnic and national communities.
Communication continues in English even after years and the new friendships formed with the native children are nearly exclusively in English.
The lack of exercise of the language spoken in school and the community around has an isolation effect because the language barrier brings self-isolation of the young people and often discrimination and exclusion by others.
This situation was made clear to the group by their own experiences, and they requested the help of ACC with implementing the idea.
Belgium spends a lot of resources on tools for integrating the newcomers into society and the work market. There is also a great political and social discussion on the change needed to achieve better results.
We hope their message of unity will pass to the viewers. Thank you for your patronship.