We are delighted that the 2024 Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages has engaged so many children and young people to celebrate diverse cultures and languages. We hope they are inspired to continue learning and progressing.
International Newcastle hosts the Festival and this is our biggest yet. We are grateful to all the schools who took part, giving these children the opportunity (and do remember to complete our survey by 30th April, your feedback is invaluable to us). Read on to find out more about the range of activities that our schools, children and young people got involved with.
About Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages
Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages has been running annually since 2021. It was part of International Newcastle’s language focussed partnership work (Newcastle City of Languages). Originally, it was a response to the pandemic, to provide online opportunities for language learning and cultural experiences with one live week of events. We now have three major creative participatory projects open from January to the end of March which can be done in schools and communities, with live events and access to pre-recorded activities running for the whole of March.
The Festival’s aims and objectives are to:
- promote the value of languages and language learning for children and young people as global citizens
- increase cultural awareness, nurture curiosity and inspire children to take up and progress with language learning and embrace cultural and linguistic diversity
- broaden horizons and widen opportunities for their education and career choices and their future lives in an increasingly interconnected world
- build connections between schools and universities and local, regional and national organisations who support languages and intercultural awareness.
The Festival celebrates diverse languages and cultures and our connections to the world by providing engaging and inspiring events, activities and resources for schools. We are the only regional Festival of Languages in the UK. International Newcastle’s Chief Executive Officer, Declan Baharini, hosts and co-ordinates the Festival and it is only possible thanks to our many partners who provide events, activities and resources free of charge and the Festival Steering Group, who volunteer time and expertise to develop the programme.
Acknowledgements
Special thanks to Declan Baharini (International Newcastle), who hosted and co-ordinated the Festival for the fourth year running and to the rest of our Steering Group who developed and ran events and activities, liaised with partners and engaged schools: Sarah Edgar (Newcastle City Council – School Effectiveness), Brian Stobie (Durham County Council – International), Steven Fawkes (Association of Language Learning), Crista Hazell (Education Consultant) and Samad Syed Ali (teacher and Bangladeshi Community representative).
We are grateful to all our local, regional, national and international partners who have supported the Festival this year and provided such an incredible range of events, activities and resources:
