Brussels, 15/04/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 15 April, the European Commission hosted a public hearing on the place and role of languages within the EU. The event marks the end of a far-reaching public consultation process launched in 2007, with nearly 2,500 contributions received using all 23 official languages. The results of the survey show that: - linguistic diversity of the EU is an asset to be safeguarded; - the media should promote an intercultural society model, focusing on tolerance, not on confrontation; - and the costs related to working in 23 official languages are worth paying. The outcome of the discussions on Tuesday will feed into a new Commission policy paper to be adopted in September and will serve to “discuss and help define the role of languages in an increasingly multilingual Europe”, the Commission states in a press release. (O.L.)