750 years ago, Amsterdam was a small fishing village. Over time, trade between countries steadily increased, bringing with it greater diversity, international connections, and a growing number of languages spoken in the city.
Today, Amsterdam is home to over one million people from all over the world. Residents live, work, and build their lives here while connecting with one another in many different languages. Despite the extensive data collected by Statistics Netherlands (CBS) on migration and demographics, the language abilities of Amsterdam’s multilingual residents remain largely undocumented—an untapped gem box of insight and value for our society. At the same time, multilingualism is often misunderstood, with a persistent belief that it might hinder the development of Dutch. This misconception, along with the lack of detailed knowledge about the city’s linguistic landscape, highlights the need for greater awareness and appreciation of Amsterdam’s true language diversity—both as a cultural asset and as a resource for inclusive urban development.
To change this, lecturers, researchers, and students from the University of Amsterdam (UvA) and the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences (HvA) are working together to create the most comprehensive language map of Amsterdam. With help from visitors at the Neighbourhood Campuses, in-depth conversations and personal testimonies are being recorded and incorporated into a dynamic digital dataset. Through this interactive map, Amsterdam’s linguistic diversity becomes visible and tangible—block by block, borough by borough. It highlights not only the richness of multilingual life but also the opportunities and challenges that come with it.
The results of the project, titled “Multilingual Amsterdam” (Meertalig Amsterdam), will be exhibited at the Public Library (OBA) Geuzenveld.
Join us for the opening on Thursday, 4 September, from 15:00 to 17:00, where the digital language map will be unveiled. We look forward to seeing you there—come explore Amsterdam’s multilingual treasure chest together!