Note: Soojin Lee, Korean Acquisition Assistant at the Asia Library, served on the planning committee for the Library's International Mother Language Day event, which was held on February 26, 2025. In this blog post, Soojin shares her experience working with colleagues from International Studies on this thoughtfully planned and successfully executed project.
The International Mother Language event has come and gone, yet the elation and excitement it sparked still linger. In November 2024, a dedicated team of volunteers from the International Studies and Asia Library came together to plan the 2025 UNESCO International Mother Language Day celebration. Since its inception in 2000, International Mother Language Day has embodied UNESCO’s commitment to preserving linguistic diversity and promoting education in and the use of mother languages. The planning team shared numerous ideas for commemorating this occasion, but the concept of reciting poems in various languages quickly stood out, and we began working on the details.
Invitations were extended to volunteers to read poetry, and we held meetings to arrange logistics such as space and webinars. Once our promotional materials, including posters, were ready, we began publicizing the event beyond the library. The response was overwhelmingly positive—members of the University of Michigan community enthusiastically reached out, eager to participate. Inspired by the enthusiasm of diverse language-focused groups within U-M, we finalized a lineup featuring 16 languages. Many of these languages were less commonly spoken—some entirely new to us—which enriched the program's diversity and depth.
When the day of the event arrived, preparations and decorations were in full swing. To accommodate an unexpectedly large audience, we quickly added extra seating. Attendees enjoyed a variety of international snacks, which were warmly received, and we showcased an array of poetry books in multiple languages throughout the Hatcher Gallery for exploration. A particularly delightful feature was the opportunity for attendees to have their names written in different languages. Although the event was offered in a hybrid format, the turnout for the in-person gathering far exceeded expectations.
The event featured a wide range of languages, including Ladino, Yiddish, Catalan, Russian, Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, German, and Vietnamese, among others. A French song performance, which emerged as a crowd favorite, added a musical element to the program. While some of the poems addressed darker, politically charged themes, they reflected historical and cultural contexts, offering valuable insights and resonating deeply with the audience.
Throughout the celebration, which showcased poetry from around the world, we highlighted not only the talents of library faculty and staff but also those of friends and collaborators from the broader University of Michigan community. Their readings, whether in their mother tongues or learned languages, fostered a shared enthusiasm for embracing linguistic and cultural diversity.
Building on this success, we are excited to continue hosting International Mother Language Day annually. Through this tradition, we aim to further the U-M’s efforts to celebrate diversity and preserve the rich tapestry of linguistic heritage.