Students on campus for World Languages Day

More than 600 Wisconsin high-school students ranging from Wisconsin Rapids to Milwaukee will converge on the campus on Thursday, April 3, for the university’s second-annual World Languages Day (WLD).

Through 45 sessions focusing on storytelling, cinema, skits, cuisine, dance, music, clothing, business practices and more, the students will be able to sample – sometimes literally – language and cultural options they might like to pursue.

The scope of those options covers the globe, from Africa to Asia to Europe and the Middle East. In addition, WLD participants will have an opportunity to learn more about various ethnic groups in Wisconsin – indigenous peoples, Scandinavians, Germans and others – who helped shape the region and continue to influence it.

Lieutenant Governor Barbara Lawton, First Lady Jessica Doyle and Phillip R. Certain, dean of the UW–Madison College of Letters and Science, have been invited to welcome the students and their teachers.

According to Jane Tylus, the college’s associate dean for the arts and humanities, “World Languages Day will not only highlight UW–Madison’s language, culture and area studies programs, but also will send the message that language-learning is important to members of a global community.”

The College of Letters and Science, the UW–Madison International Institute and the Anonymous Fund sponsor the events. All sessions will be held 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m., April 3, in either the Memorial Union, Red Gym or Pyle Center, all located on Langdon Street.

For more information or a complete schedule of activities, contact event coordinator Catherine Reiland at (608) 262-4077 or reiland@ls.admin.wisc.edu, or visit http://polyglot.lss.wisc.edu/world/.