THE North-East's first Bangladeshi Community Centre yesterday hosted a city's launch of the European Year of Languages.
North-East Euro MP Dr Mo O'Toole opened the event at the centre in Hendon, Sunderland.
A number of events are planned to mark the European Year of Languages, which is aimed at raising awareness of the diversity of language within the European Union.
It is also designed to promote multi-lingualism and life-long learning of languages.
Dr O'Toole also visited Pennywell's Electronic Village Hall, in Sunderland, to see how computers are helping boost people's skills and prospects.
She said: "A lot of the big hits we have had in the region lately, among them Doxford's One2One, Leighton and many others, are involved in the booming IT and telecommunications sector.
"The jobs are there. We need to build an adaptable, skilled workforce to fill them.
"Pennywell Electronic Village Hall is a great example of giving the unemployed the skills to play a part in this booming sector."
Meanwhile, the computer technology has been used to poll the views of people living in Hendon and Sunderland's East End on issues of health, housing, education, employment and community safety.
A £20,000 key pad was used, for the first-time in the North-East, for people to submit their views. The findings will be announced at the Bangladeshi Community Centre, tomorrow
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