> National Foreign Language Week
National Foreign Language Week
MAYOR’S OFFICE OF NEW AMERICANS INVITES HOUSTONIANS TO CELEBRATE
NATIONAL FOREIGN LANGUAGE WEEK
MARCH 4-10, 2019
Scheduled Events Spotlight the Rewards of Learning a Foreign Language
The Office of New Americans and the Houston Public Library invite Houstonians to celebrate National Foreign Language Week by participating in a series of multilingual events scheduled between March 4-10, 2019. Endorsed by U.S presidents since 1956, this national celebration calls public attention to the benefits and rewards that come with learning a foreign language. Studies have shown that individuals who speak more than one language have increased brain activity and add value to the workforce. Learning a foreign language also promotes cultural sharing and understanding in today’s global community. This celebration of linguistic diversity is of special significance to Houston, as a welcoming city where more than 145 languages are spoken, and one of every four residents was born in another country. For a calendar of events, see below.
The Mayor’s Office of New Americans and Immigrant Communities is a division of the Department of Neighborhoods. For more information, visit https://www.houstontx.gov/na/.
The Houston Public Library (HPL) offers a rich mix of activities to celebrate NFLW, including foreign language movies (The Art and Literature Film series), bilingual storytimes, and a wide range of ongoing English Language Learning programming.
The Art and Literature Film series is presented in partnership with the Consulate General of Mexico, which generously has supported the celebration of National Foreign Language Week as well as other cultural programs at the Houston Public Library.
For language learning, HPL’s collection includes books and movies in many languages and hundreds of Language Learning DVDs and CDs, as well as free Online Language Learning resources.