University of Findlay to Celebrate 2023 International Mother Language Day

University of Findlay will host International Mother Language Day on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The event is free and open to the public and is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the atrium of the Center for Student Life and College of Business Building.

The event will celebrate the linguistic and cultural diversity found on campus. UF students will share songs, poems, and dances varying in languages and cultures. “It is important to remind ourselves that multilingualism and multiculturalism are something we have to work hard to maintain,” said Hiroaki Kawamura, Ph.D., University of Findlay associate professor of Japanese and director of modern language. “Unless we create a safe and welcoming community, people will hide their languages and cultures.”

International Mother Language Day was established in 1999 by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) to recognize and honor the world’s linguistic and cultural diversity, and to emphasize that multilingualism is essential for sustainable development. The event is celebrated globally on February 21, and has been observed every year for the past 23 years. The broader initiative of International Mother Language Day is to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by people through the world.

For more information on the University of Findlay event, contact Hiroaki Kawamura, Ph.D., at kawamura@findlay.edu.