The International Symposium on Language, Ecology, and Sustainability and the 11th National Symposium on Ecolinguistics successfully concluded on August 13, 2026, marking a major milestone in the advancement of ecolinguistics and interdisciplinary research on sustainability. Held at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the three-day event was a resounding success, attracting leading researchers and professionals from across the globe.
With the theme "Language, Ecology, and Sustainability: Communication in the AI Era," the symposium spotlighted the critical role language and communication play in tackling urgent ecological, social, and technological challenges in the modern world. The event sought to foster collaboration across disciplines, bridging theoretical insights with real-world applications to address global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and sustainable development.
The conference welcomed over 70 participants from different countries and areas such as China, Hong Kong, Macau, the United States, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Russia, Korea, Nigeria. This diversity showcased the global importance of ecolinguistics in unifying efforts to create sustainable futures through inclusive, multi-disciplinary approaches.
Conference Programme Highlights
1. Pre-Conference Workshops
The event officially began on August 11, 2026, with three pre-conference workshops, which set the tone for the symposium. Workshop 1, led by Prof. Guowen Huang (City University of Macau), highlighted how analysts’ subjectivities influence ecological discourse analysis, focusing on data selection, interpretation, and framework critique. Workshop 2, conducted by Prof. Wei He (Beijing Foreign Studies University), explored ecolinguistics’ evolving role in China, with participants examining future innovations in this field. Workshop 3, directed by Prof. Ming Liu (The Hong Kong Polytechnic University), examined the role of corporate discourse in shaping ethical and sustainable business practices through linguistic tools.
2. Keynote Speeches
The symposium showcased 8 keynote speeches by distinguished scholars at the forefront of ecolinguistics and sustainability communication, addressing topics that ranged from theoretical foundations to practical applications. Prof. Guowen Huang (City University of Macau) explored cognitive ecolinguistics through a systemic-functional framework, while Prof. Wei He (Beijing Foreign Studies University) provided an in-depth overview of ecological discourse analysis, including its concepts and tools. Prof. Sune Vork Steffensen (University of Southern Denmark) highlighted the ecological interplay between language and human life, focusing on scale and interconnectedness, and Prof. Arran Stibbe (University of Gloucestershire) shared creative strategies like improvisational comedy to reshape environmental narratives. Prof. Hui Yu (Beijing Normal University) emphasized integrating ecological literacy into foreign language education to foster environmental ethics, and Prof. Jinjun Wang (Guangzhou University) examined emergency language capacity in China–Myanmar border cities. Prof. Robert Poole (University of Alabama) stressed the importance of diachronic studies in disaster discourse analysis, while Prof. Fu Jingmin (Guangdong University of Foreign Studies) explored how translation functions in sustainable language development. Together, these keynote speeches laid a robust foundation for interdisciplinary dialogue and collaboration throughout the conference.
3. Parallel Sessions
The symposium also featured 17 parallel sessions, where nearly 60 research presentations were delivered. Covering an extensive range of topics such as:
- Theoretical developments in ecolinguistics
- Sustainability-focused language learning and teaching practices
- Ecological discourse analysis of environmental challenges
- The roles of indigenous and minority languages in ecological conservation
- AI and big data applications in ecological communication
These sessions created a vibrant platform for sharing new ideas, promoting interdisciplinary partnerships, and exploring innovative solutions to sustainability-focused challenges.
Throughout the conference, participants engaged in meaningful discussions that bridged academia, policy, and practice, underscoring the importance of language in shaping ecological realities. The high level of academic exchange was matched by a strong commitment to collaboration and actionable outcomes. Attendees praised the conference as one of the most dynamic and thought-provoking gatherings in the field of ecolinguistics. The combination of theoretical exploration, practical applications, and global representation provided a unique opportunity to deepen knowledge, build networks, and inspire new research.
The event concluded with a closing ceremony, led by Prof. Jinjun Wang (Guangzhou University). During his reflections, Prof. Wang celebrated the symposium’s success in fostering interdisciplinary collaborations and challenging participants to continue tackling the intersections of language, ecology, and technology.
This symposium is hosted by the Ecolinguistics Committee of the China Association for Comparative Studies of English and Chinese, the National Research Centre for Foreign Language Education and the National Research Centre for State Language Capacity, both at Beijing Foreign Studies University, and organized by The Department of Language Science and Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, with support from the editorial offices of Journal of World Languages (De Gruyter) and Chinese Foreign Languages.
The symposium reaffirmed the critical role language plays in addressing ecological and societal challenges in an era shaped by AI and digital transformation. As The Hong Kong Polytechnic University continues to support innovative and impactful research, this event laid the groundwork for future collaborations and advancements in the field.
The overwhelming success of the symposium demonstrates how language science, in collaboration with cutting-edge technology and ecological awareness, can drive meaningful change toward a more sustainable and inclusive future.
