International Mother Language Day 2019 at various venues

Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor

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International Mother Language Day

21 February 2019

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

Poet Lemn Sissay.
Poet Lemn Sissay.
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Presented in partnership between Manchester City Council, Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester as part of Manchester City of Literature, we’ll be celebrating this year’s International Mother Language Day through a number of exciting events taking place in various venues. With the event marked around the world annually on 21 February, in 2018 Manchester’s International Mother Language Day welcomed speakers from Jamaica to Japan; this year, activities include fun, family-friendly games, crafts and performances, plus panel discussion, workshops and a lively, interactive multilingual Mushaira – all are free.

Manchester-based independent publishing house Comma Press are running Manchester In Translation workshops at Z-arts; Manchester City Council’s Libraries Team are hosting a number of events, including at North City and Wythenshawe Forum libraries, and including the Mancunian Tongues: Why Language Diversity Matters For Manchester discussion with poet/author and Chancellor of The University of Manchester Lemn Sissay MBE, Manchester Museum Director Esme Ward and Councillor Luthfur Rahman at Central Library, and Manchester Writing School are putting on the Multi-language Mushaira poetry performance event at Longsight Library in the evening. Full details in the link below.

Manchester Town Hall
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Poet Mike Garry. Photo Paul Wolfgang Webster
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Where to go near International Mother Language Day 2019 at various venues

St Peters Square Manchester
City Centre
St Peter’s Square

St Peter’s Square is a public space in Manchester – home to the city’s iconic library, town hall, Pankhurst statue, art gallery and famous Midland Hotel.

Manchester Art Gallery. Photo by Andrew Brooks
City Centre
Gallery
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The Charles Barry-designed, Grade I-listed Manchester Art Gallery is one of the city’s leading galleries and is back open for visitors once more.

Manchester
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Ban Di Bul

Ban Di Bul is a longstanding Korean restaurant in the very centre of Manchester.

Chinatown
Hotel
The Alan

This high-end city-centre restaurant has an excellent afternoon tea option that more than matches up to the superb main menu.

Salut Wines
Chinatown
Bar or Pub
Salut Wines

Salut wines pride themselves in offering “wider horizons beyond the safe choices.” With 42 wines by the glass and a regularly changing selection of bottles in their Enomatic wine preservation machines (or  “wine jukebox,” as they’re colloquially known), this is one of be best bars in Manchester for exploring new vintages.

Manchester
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Friska

Latest branch of Friska, the independent healthy fast food chain.

Manchester
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Don Giovanni

Traditional Italian restaurant, serving everything from pizza to steak. All this in a large modern venue with floor-to-ceiling windows.

Chinatown
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Manchester Art Gallery Cafe

Summery bakes, seasonal salads and fresh light meals at Manchester Art Gallery’s in-house café, courtesy of highly-regarded Head Chef Matthew Taylor.

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Tourist Attraction
Manchester Town Hall

Re-opening in 2024, Manchester Town Hall is a monument to Victorian Manchester’s ambition, and one of the city’s most-loved landmarks.

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Albert Square

A public square in the heart of Manchester which plays hosts to festivals and major events. Home to the Albert Memorial and statues of Bishop James Fraser, John Bright, Oliver Heywood and William Ewart Gladstone.

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Poet Mike Garry. Photo Paul Wolfgang Webster
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