English lies at the heart of globalisation and has the power to redefine national and individual identities worldwide. As new world languages emerge - Chinese, Spanish and Arabic - it seems likely that the next generation will become fluent in several languages. This can lead to a major change in ideas of national identity, affecting cultural and political relationships across the world. David Graddol and Michael Byram will look at the advantages and the risks of foreign language learning in an increasingly interactive world and will consider the implications for the relationship of language and identity.