AILA newsletter and CELEA Anniversary Celebration
Dear Colleagues,
At the request of Katalin Fogarasi, Secretary for International Affairs, I would like to draw your attention to the interesting events featured in the AILA newsletter below.
Dear IC colleagues,
One additional announcement that should have been included in my earlier message:
CELEA 45th anniversary forum
On May 30, during The 24th AsiaTEFL International Conference and the 11th International Conference on ELT in China, The CELEA 45th anniversary Forum was held in Xi’an. At the beginning of the forum, participants watched the CELEA 45th Anniversary commemorative video together, reviewing CELEA’s development since its founding in 1981. Here’s the commemorative video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
https://www.facebook.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/
Dear IC Colleagues,
I hope this message finds you well.
I would like to share several updates, opportunities and invitations that may be of interest to members of the International Committee. To avoid sending multiple separate messages, I have compiled them into a single email for your convenience.
Please find below information regarding:
- AILA Research Networks (ReNs)
- The AFinLA Autumn Symposium 2026, Finland
- Expressions of Interest: AILA Working Group on the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights (UDLR) which Professor Kendall King has kindly offered to lead.
- Call for Policy Suggestions: AILA Endorsements Committee
Many thanks for taking a few moments to review these announcements. I would also be grateful if you could share any items of interest with colleagues and members within your respective affiliates and networks. Please scroll down to read the items.
With best wishes,
Glenda El Gamal
Secretary-General, AILA
1. AILA ReN webinar – July 13th, 2026 2pm-3pm CEST | Across AI and Aviation: Advancing Applied Linguistics in Technology and Professional Communication
Dear colleagues,
The 16 AILA Research Networks (ReNs) are entering the final phase of their term for the 2024–2027 cycle. Their work between AILA World Congresses enables them to drive key initiatives in the field of applied linguistics. They will come together in invited symposia during the next AILA Congress in 2027. Learn more about ReNs.
Don’t miss our upcoming webinar in July 13th, 2026 2pm-3pm CEST, Across AI and Aviation: Advancing Applied Linguistics in Technology and Professional Communication featuring Emerging Technologies in Applied Linguistics (EmTechAL) & Applied Linguistics and Aviation English(es) (Aviation English(es)).
[ABOUT] Catch up on ReN updates!
- June 2026 – AILA Newsletter: click here
- January 26 – INJAL report: Second written interview about the ReN Open Applied Linguistics with Meng Liu (Beijing Foreign Studies University), Ali H. Al-Hoorie (Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu), Phil Hiver (Florida State University), Xuechun Huang (University of Leeds), and Mehdi Shaahdadi (Independent Researcher). Click here
- July 2025 – INJAL report: A short summary of the first AILA Joint Research Network Webinar on Thinking Inclusivity in Applied Linguistics. Click here
- June 2025: First AILA ReN webinar featuring EMEVEDI ReN and the Inclusive Foreign Language Education ReN
- June 2025 – AILA Newsletter: click here
- April 2025 – INJAL report: First written interview about ReN RECAL –Research & Educational Cultures in Applied Linguistics – with Paola Gamboa and Claire Kramsch. Click here
- March 2024 – AILA Newsletter: click here
- January 2025 – INJAL report: Learn more about Rens. Click here
- December 2024 – AILA Newsletter: click here
Stay updated and get all the details—subscribe to the AILA Newsletter today:click here
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2. 2nd CFP of the AFinLA Autumn Symposium
Welcome to the Autumn Symposium of the Finnish Association for Applied Linguistics (AFinLA) on 12–14 November 2026 in Oulu, which is the European Capital of Culture in 2026. Similarly to culture, the AFinLA Autumn Symposium brings participants together for collaboration and new ideas. Indeed, the theme of the symposium this year is “Encounters: Culture, Technology and Interaction”. Proposals are invited for presentations of applied language studies that explore, for example, what kinds of encounters culture and technology enable, realise and require as well as what kinds of meanings, forms and changes language and interaction bring about in such encounters. In addition to proposals relating to the theme of the symposium, other topics related to applied language studies are welcomed.
Proposals for presentations, posters and workshops must be submitted using the online form at https://link.webropol.com/s/
The symposium programme includes three plenary presentations:
Maria Frick, University of Oulu
Monikielinen työyhteisö yksikielisyyspaineen alla – näkökulmia vuorovaikutukseen, kielenomaksumiseen ja teknologian rooliin
Teppo Jakonen,University of Turku
Teknologia kielenoppimisvuorovaikutuksen resurssina, toimijana ja ympäristönä
Heike Ortner, University of Innsbruck
Tourism Communication and Capitals of Culture: Perspectives from Applied Linguistics
Symposium website: www.oulu.fi/fi/tapahtumat/
Email: afinla2026(at) oulu.fi
Järjestelytoimikunta/ Organising committee/ Organisationskommittén: Tiina Räisänen (pj./ chair/ ordf.), Sabine Grasz, Mari Holmström, Antti Kamunen, Tiina Keisanen, Elina Nuutinen, Marjo Ohtamaa, Minna Pukari, Mirka Rauniomaa & Maija Saviniemi
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3. Expressions of Interest: AILA Working Group on the Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights (UDLR)
AILA was among the signatories to the original Universal Declaration of Linguistic Rights (Barcelona, 1996). An international initiative is currently underway to update the Declaration in light of developments over the past three decades, including digital communication, artificial intelligence, multilingualism, linguistic justice, and access to knowledge.
AILA is exploring the possibility of making a collective contribution to this process. Professor Kendall King has kindly offered to lead a small, short-term working group to coordinate any potential AILA input.
If you are interested in participating in this working group, please contact Professor Kendall King directly at kendall@umn.edu as soon as possible.
The timeline for contributions remains open until December 2026, although submissions before October are encouraged.
Further information about the initiative is available at: https://www.dudling.org/
Many thanks to Kendall for taking the lead on this important initiative.
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4. Call for Policy Suggestions: AILA Endorsements Committee
The AILA Endorsements Committee identifies policies that have already been endorsed, or may be suitable for endorsement, by AILA’s national affiliates and makes recommendations for global endorsements to the AILA EBIC.
If you are aware of any policies that you would like the Committee to consider, please send the relevant information to the Committee Chairs:
Professor Azirah Hashim (azirahh@um.edu.my)
Professor Tarja Nikula-Jantti (tarja.nikula@jyu.fi)
by 23 June 2026.
Thank you for your assistance in helping the Committee identify policies of potential relevance and importance to the wider applied linguistics community.