Turku Library to celebrate Multilingual Month

The Turku City Library will celebrate the diversity of languages marking the Multilingual Month (Satakielikuukausi) from February 21 to March 21, said the city in a press release.

The Library will fill with events and activities focusing on the diversity of languages and the importance of mother tongues.

The programmes included music, exhibitions, discussions, book displays and an interview of a translator.

More than 100 different mother tongues are spoken in Turku. The Library endevours to further everyone’s equal rights for education and culture.

All projects and events associated with Multilingual Month pay attention in some way to multilingualism and the importance of mother tongues.

“Multilingualism shows itself through different encounters, discussions, projects, art and doing things together,” said Tea Kaila, a Library Information Specialist in Multicultural Services.

The Turku main Library will host an interview with translator Taru Salminen who is known for translating Korean Nobel Prize Winner Han Kang’s books into Finnish.

Furthermore, there will be a discussion in collaboration with the Finnish Red Cross and the MIELI Crisis Center Turun Serene, where people with dual cultural back grounds share their experiences.

Korean language takes the stage in Youth Department Stoori where people can watch and try out popular K-Pop dance moves.

In Main Library’s Children’s Saaga kids can leave their greetings on the wall in their own language for others to read. 

Japanese exchange students will host a Shodo (Japanese calligraphy) workshop in Main Library.

The Turku Esperanto Club will present the language and the culture in Main Library’s Rotunda.

There is also an exhibition on the matter in Non-fiction Department’s glass cabinets available through the Multilingual Month.

Music Department will celebrate the diversity of languages in music in their music-cd display.

Multilingual Month is a celebration of mother tongues and multilingualism.

It takes place between International Mother Language Day (21 February), and World Poetry Day and International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (21 March).