Languages Day Celebrates Culture, Connection and Community
Santa Maria College came alive with colour, music and culture for Languages Day 2026, a celebration of language learning and the rich cultural diversity within our community.
From food tastings and traditional dance to games, creative activities and live performances, the day gave students the opportunity to experience French and Italian culture beyond the classroom and discover how language can bring people together.
Bringing Languages to Life
Throughout the day, students took part in a range of interactive activities, including cultural food tastings, painting, friendship bracelet making, landmark challenges, games and an Instagram photo frame.
These hands-on experiences encouraged students to explore different traditions, connect with students across year levels and develop a greater appreciation for the cultures they study.
For Year 11 French students Jade, Jessica and Zara, seeing the whole College community embrace the celebrations was a highlight.
“It was so great to see everyone from all year groups coming together to celebrate French and Italian culture. We had so much fun getting involved in all the activities, trying different foods, learning new things and experiencing different aspects of both cultures. We loved being able to share our passion for French and make the event fun and memorable for everyone!”
Music, Dance and Culture
Music and dance added plenty of energy to the celebrations. A highlight was the Language Choir’s flashmob performance featuring Volare and Champs-Élysées, while a vibrant Tarantella performance brought Sicilian culture to life through traditional dance and costume.
Year 7 Italian student Heidi particularly enjoyed the atmosphere created by the performances and senior students.
“The atmosphere was positive. All the ATAR students were excited and joyful, making the experience happy. I loved the food tasting and all the dances, with amazing costumes.”
For Eloise, the combination of food, games and fun made the day memorable.
“Languages Day was fun and the food was good. It was a happy, fun day and the games were fun.”
Connecting Across Year Levels
Languages Day also created valuable opportunities for older students to share their enthusiasm for languages with younger students.
Year 11 French student Rose enjoyed meeting younger students at her stall and being part of an experience that brought the College’s language community together.
“Languages Day was a great opportunity for us as language students to showcase the joy of learning about new languages and cultures. I really enjoyed getting to know younger students who visited our stall, including those who learn a language at the College and those who just came to join in the fun. I loved being involved this year and really being part of the atmosphere. It was a wonderful, immersive experience which I will look forward to again next year!”
These interactions are an important part of the day, giving students the chance to learn from one another and build confidence in sharing their knowledge and interests.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
While Languages Day is certainly fun, it also has an important role in supporting students’ learning.
Learning another language helps students communicate across cultures, broaden their understanding of the world and develop skills including empathy, problem-solving, confidence and critical thinking. It encourages students to consider perspectives different from their own and prepares them to engage with an increasingly interconnected world.
Languages Day builds on the skills and cultural knowledge developed in French and Italian classes, showing students that learning a language is about much more than vocabulary and grammar. It is also about understanding people, traditions, history and different ways of seeing the world.
For Year 7 Italian student Thalia, the day was also a reminder of the encouragement students receive throughout their language-learning journey.
“I felt welcomed and interested in how much the College supports us through our studies.”
Celebrating Connection and Community
Languages Day continues to be a highlight of the College calendar because it makes language learning meaningful, engaging and relevant.
Through shared experiences, conversations, food, music, dance and plenty of fun, students had the opportunity to develop greater cultural awareness, curiosity and respect for diversity.
Most importantly, Languages Day 2026 reminded us that while we may speak different languages and come from different cultural traditions, finding ways to connect, learn from one another and celebrate those differences helps build a stronger community.
- cultural diversity, Featured, French and Italian culture, French language learning, Intercultural Learning, Italian Language Learning, language education, Languages Day, learning beyond the classroom, Santa Maria College, student experiences
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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