There are between 6000 and 7000 languages in the world and at least half of the world’s population is bilingual or plurilingual, which means that people speak two or more languages.​

Malta has always had a multilingual nature and foreign language learning is a strength in our local system which needs to be sustained.  The wish to foster plurilingual and intercultural competences in the Maltese educational system is a response to European linguistic and cultural diversity and an increasing need for mobility and employability.  Europeans come across foreign languages on a daily basis in the various aspects of their lives.  Bilingualism and plurilingualism entail economic advantages too: jobs are more easily available to those who speak several languages, and multilingual companies have a better competitive edge than monolingual ones.​

The Ministry for Education and Employment recognises the importance of linguistic diversity and supports language learning as a lifelong task, essential for economic competitiveness and inclusive societies.​  ​