ABSTRACT
This chapter situates Sydney as a multilingual city in the bigger picture of urban multilingualism on a global scale. Drawing on insights from the European LUCIDE (Languages in Urban Communities: Integration and Diversity for Europe) project, it highlights the vitality of urban multilingualism and its influence on cultural, economic and personal life in multilingual cities. It also introduces the challenges faced by such unprecedented diversity. One key conclusion is that diversity and change are unstoppable realities of the 21st century. But for this diversity to succeed and to enrich our societies it will require positive frameworks in all social, cultural and political spheres. The chapter argues that while Sydney shares some similarities with her European counterparts, recent demographic changes are also challenging how multilingualism and urban diversities can be approached and researched in the city. Last, the chapter will outline the four-part structure of the book and briefly summarize its main themes and the contribution of each chapter.
