I recently attended the AILA 2024 World Congress, held from August 12-16, 2024, at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, with the iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers as a backdrop. This major event in Applied Linguistics focused this year on the theme "Linguistic Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Sustainability," attracting linguists and language experts from around the world.

A key highlight was finally meeting CLILNetLE Action colleagues from various work groups in person after months of remote interaction. It was also a pleasure to present in person with my colleagues in Work Group 1 (WG1) in the Symposium on Multiliteracies in CLIL. Our presentation, “Jointly Conceptualising Bi/Multilingual Disciplinary Literacies in CLIL: Exploring the Process and Outcome,” focused on analyzing the initial conceptualization of ‘disciplinary literacies’ produced by WG1, which will now be used for the refined conceptualisation. The engaging discussions with the audience provided valuable feedback and sparked new ideas for our ongoing work with the other Action groups.

Beyond the academic sessions, the conference included cultural activities such as Batik and basketry, adding a personal touch that made the event both intellectually stimulating and culturally enriching. These experiences offered a welcome break from the academic talk and allowed us, as attendees, to connect on a personal level, not only with each other but also with the Malaysian culture. The Batik artwork now waiting to be hung in my office serves as a colorful reminder of both the vibrant culture of Malaysia and the inspiring work we are doing in the CLILNetLE Action.

Reflecting on the time spent in Kuala Lumpur, I am grateful for the enriching experiences and connections made. I extend my heartfelt thanks to our sponsors for making such encounters possible, enabling us to advance research in CLIL.

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