19 February 2026
Many languages, one community
Each year on 21 February, communities around the world mark International Mother Language Day, a UNESCO initiative that celebrates linguistic diversity and promotes the protection of mother tongues. At St Peter’s College, this day offers an opportunity to reflect on something that is already deeply present in our daily life: the many languages, cultures and stories that shape our community.
In 2026, data collected at SPSC shows that students speak more than 40 languages at home. English is the shared language that brings us together as a school, yet many students also move between linguistic worlds beyond the classroom. Chinese Mandarin and Cantonese are spoken home languages, alongside Urdu, Hindi, Punjabi, Vietnamese, Greek, Telugu and Arabic. Our community is further enriched by languages spoken by smaller numbers of students, including Igbo, Bosnian, Konkani, Shanghainese, Shona, Sinhala, Dari/Hazaragi, Khmer, Nepali, Albanian and Ukrainian. Each of these languages represents a lived history, a cultural inheritance and a personal story.
Behind the data are everyday experiences that speak to the richness of multilingual life at SPSC. For many students, their home language is the language of family, memory and belonging. It is the language spoken with grandparents, used around the dinner table, or shared during moments of celebration and care. For others, maintaining a home language requires intention and pride, particularly when it is spoken by only a small number of people. Across the School, we see students navigating multiple languages with confidence, supporting peers who are new to English, and contributing diverse perspectives to classroom discussions.
International Mother Language Day also draws attention to a global reality: many of the world’s languages are endangered, with some at risk of disappearing within a single generation. When a language is lost, so too are unique ways of understanding the world, passing on knowledge, and expressing relationships and beliefs. Schools play an important role in responding to this challenge by creating environments where languages are valued and visible, and where students feel encouraged to maintain and share their linguistic heritage.
As a community grounded in an Anglican tradition that values dignity, welcome and understanding, SPSC seeks to be a place where difference is not seen as an obstacle, but as a source of learning and connection. By recognising and celebrating the languages spoken within our School, we affirm the importance of listening to one another and of building relationships across cultures.
On International Mother Language Day, we celebrate every language spoken at St Peter’s College, whether it is shared by many students or spoken by just one. Together, these voices form a diverse and inclusive community, connected by mutual respect and a shared commitment to learning in an increasingly interconnected world.
Watch our languages day video here.
Marisol García
Head of Faculty – Languages
