St Mary’s Secondary School hosted its fourth annual International Mother Language Day celebration yesterday, bringing together eight public and private schools for a vibrant showcase of linguistic and cultural diversity.
Under the theme “One World, Many Voices, All Connected!”, the event featured performances in multiple languages including Antiguan Creole, English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, and Russian.
Students from various schools presented songs, dances, poems, and dramatic performances highlighting different cultural traditions.
“We started this initiative four years ago, especially after the pandemic, to expose children to different languages and cultures,” said Blenis Ortiz, Head of the Modern Language Department at St Mary’s Secondary School.
“While English is our official language, we also celebrate all mother tongues, including Antiguan Creole, which is an important part of our cultural heritage.”
The event attracted participation from several educational institutions, including the Confucius Institute of Antigua and Barbuda, the Venezuelan Institute for Culture and Cooperation, and for the first time, the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus.
Rene Young-Romero, Education Officer for Modern Foreign Languages at the Ministry of Education, emphasized the importance of expanding language education in schools.
“In places like Singapore and Holland, speaking three or four languages is normal. We would like to implement more language programs, especially in primary schools, though we face challenges with timetabling and teacher recruitment,” he said.
Performances included French musical presentations, Spanish dance medleys, and Caribbean folk proverbs.
The event also featured a guest speech by Craig Thomas, National Technical Specialist for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
“Learning multiple languages is critical in our increasingly cosmopolitan region,” Ortiz explained. “It enhances career opportunities and personal growth, and studies have shown cognitive benefits as well.”
Looking ahead to next year’s fifth anniversary celebration, organizers hope to see increased stakeholder involvement and broader community participation in celebrating linguistic diversity.
The event concluded with presentations from the Confucius Institute, featuring Chinese poetry recitals and cultural exhibitions, and a showcase of Spanish culture by the UWI Five Islands Campus.
