Adèle Venter, Chair of ISLA writes:
“The Independent Schools’ Modern Languages Association (ISMLA) is delighted to endorse London: City of Languages – an inspiring initiative that celebrates the extraordinary linguistic and cultural diversity of our capital
ISMLA schools are passionate advocates for modern languages as a means of deepening understanding between people and cultures. We are proud supporters of World of Languages, Languages of the World (WoLLoW), in which many of our member schools take part, and we regularly sponsor events that bring languages to life across the city – from debating and theatre festivals to inter-school student and teacher conferences that celebrate multilingualism.
London: City of Languages captures what we most value in language learning: curiosity, connection, and cross-cultural understanding. There is immense scope to develop a culture of celebration around the home languages spoken within our communities, helping all learners to see language as central to education and identity. By drawing on these linguistic riches, we can promote agility, authenticity, and openness – qualities that equip young people to respond confidently to global challenges and opportunities. Through our local and international partnerships, we see daily the close ties that multilingualism can forge – between schools, cultures, and people.
We look forward to supporting this programme as it grows – especially through partnership opportunities between schools – and to seeing London’s linguistic vibrancy continue to inspire the next generation of language learners.”