Did  you know Aotearoa’s five most common languages are English, te reo Māori, Samoan, Mandarin and Hindi?*

In addition, hundreds of other community languages are spoken daily in our towns, cities and neighbourhoods  – all enriching our nation’s cultural diversity. On International Mother Language Day (21 February), here in New Zealand and all around the world, we celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity.

At English Language Partners, we teach learners from over 150 countries and, while International Mother Language Day is a special time to recognise the importance their languages, every day we strive in small ways to celebrate our diverse classrooms and the huge range of languages, cultures and heritage we are fortunate to have within them.

We also acknowledge the incredible work our learners do maintaining mother languages at home with their children – many also help to run ‘after school’ community language classes.

Our hats are off to ELP’s learners!

Your work ensures our country’s ‘mother tongues’ aren’t lost to younger generations of Kiwis and that New Zealand, as a whole, benefits culturally, linguistically and economically.

To celebrate International Mother Language Day we’re sharing  our ‘Celebrate our Cultures’ poster. Click on the poster to download, print and display at work, home or in your community. Share the message.

For further information about International Mother Language Day, visit the UNESCO website, or the UN’s International Mother Language Day web pages.

*New Zealand’s 2018 Census

English Language Partners teaches English to former refugees and migrants who now call New Zealand their home and assist our newer Kiwis in becoming part of the community through an understanding of Kiwi language and culture.

For more about volunteering as an ESOL home tutor  

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