Expanding The Inclusion Room: A Multilingual Twist

Embracing the Power of Multilingualism

Welcome to The Inclusion Room — a space where literature, art, science, and storytelling meet to unlock the power of diversity, inspiring both personal and professional growth.

---

Hello everyone,

I hope this letter finds you well!

Today, I’m excited to share a new direction for The Inclusion Room that aligns with its core values of inclusion and diversity.

As a polyglot, I’m deeply aware of how language shapes expression.
I strive to read books in their original language, listen to podcasts in multiple languages, and watch movies in their original versions whenever possible.

My journey with languages has been a significant part of both my personal and professional life, and I’d love to share how it has inspired this change.

One formative experience was working in a multilingual environment where we used three languages daily: French, German, and English.

Most of us had international backgrounds and spoke at least two languages fluently, with a third, often weaker, language learned for the job.

For me, as you might have guessed, my native language is Italian. I’m almost bilingual in French, having lived in France for many years, and I’m fluent in English and Spanish thanks to other chapters of my life abroad.

However, when I started this job, I couldn’t understand a word of German—a true challenge, given that I had just one year to reach a decent level and obtain certification to keep my role!

I attended immersion classes, took evening courses (up to six hours per week), and… even started watching Peppa Pig on Netflix to familiarize myself with basic vocabulary.

Pepa Pig

Yes, learning a new language requires humility!

But true progress came from two transformative experiences:

1. A Language Tandem: I partnered with a German learner of French, and we bonded over dinners and conversations, using Spanish as a fallback when needed. This practice made the language tangible and alive, helping me internalize its syntax and structure.

2. Multilingual Meetings: My boss had a brilliant idea. Initially, our weekly meetings were held in English, but he introduced a rotation of meeting languages: French, German, and English.

This approach had multiple benefits for the team:

• 🤝 It ensured fairness for colleagues with varying language strengths.

• 🌍 It empowered native and second-language speakers.

• 💬 It fostered skill development for everyone.

These experiences shaped my sense of linguistic inclusion.

They taught me that language isn’t just a tool for communication but a bridge to understanding different perspectives.

In my previous post, I explored how multilingualism shapes inclusion in professional settings. You can read more about it here:

Inspired by this, I’ve decided to make The Inclusion Room as open as possible.

From now on, I’ll include summaries or key takeaways in French and Italian alongside the English text. Occasionally, I may even write an entire issue in French or Italian, with summaries provided in English.

I’ve already referenced non-English books in my posts, and this multilingual approach feels like a natural extension of my vision for The Inclusion Room: to celebrate and embrace diversity in all its forms.

Thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s continue exploring and learning together, one language at a time!

---

Français :
Bienvenue dans Inclusion Room!

À partir d’aujourd’hui, une partie des contenus sera disponible en français. Mes expériences dans des environnements multilingues m’ont appris que les langues ne sont pas seulement des outils de communication, mais des passerelles vers d’autres perspectives.
Pour rendre cet espace plus inclusif, vous trouverez des résumés ou points clés en français et en italien, et parfois des articles dans ces langues. Continuons à apprendre et explorer, une langue à la fois !

---

Italiano :
Benvenuti in Inclusion Room!

Da oggi, una parte dei contenuti sarà disponibile in italiano. Le mie esperienze in ambienti multilingue mi hanno insegnato che le lingue non sono solo strumenti di comunicazione, ma ponti verso nuove prospettive.
Per rendere questo spazio più inclusivo, troverete riassunti o punti chiave in italiano e francese, e talvolta articoli in queste lingue. Continuiamo a imparare ed esplorare, una lingua alla volta!

If you think these reflections might be useful to someone you know, feel free to share this post.

Thanks for reading The Inclusion Room, subscribe to receive new post.I hope you enjoyed our time together, and I look forward to seeing you in the next post!