COUNTY Durham youngsters are being challenged to produce a design that promotes a positive attitude to cultural differences.

The county council wants an emblem that includes the phrase Many Nations, One World to put on 12,000 bookmarks and 500 posters that will be distributed to every school, library and business.

Neil Foster, cabinet member for children's services said: "People from many different backgrounds and countries live, study or work in County Durham or travel here on business, on holiday or to visit friends and family.

"A staggering number of different languages are therefore spoken in our county every day, yet we are not always aware of our rich and diverse cultural and linguistic community.

"We have set pupils a real challenge that we hope will not only give them a lot of enjoyment, but will cause them to think again about the multi-cultural society in which they live."

The competition, sponsored by Whitworth Hall Hotel and Shafto's Inn and Restaurant, both at Whitworth Hall Country Park, near Spennymoor, will have prizes for several age groups. The overall winner will get £150 and every winner and runner-up will be invited to a reception.

The competition was launched yesterday for European Day of Languages.

The council's overview and scrutiny committee considered a draft strategy to emphasise the importance of language learning and tackle a dramatic reduction in modern language learning in schools.

The agenda was printed in Italian and English, and chairman Alan Cox formally opened the meeting in Italian.

Staff in the chief executive's office were encouraged to use a foreign language when answering internal telephone calls, there were language taster sessions and an international menu in the County Hall restaurant.