Power of Language Week Is Here! 

By Zaynah Almasri

February 18–28 | Wesleyan University | Fisk Hall & Across Campus 

The Fries Center for Global Studies is thrilled to announce that the eighth annual Power of Language (POL) Week has officially arrived! 

Originally launched as a multi-day conference, Power of Language has grown into a dynamic, week-long celebration organized around International Mother Language Day (February 21)—a global observance honoring the Bengali Language Movement and mother languages around the world. At Wes, POL celebrates multilingualism, second language acquisition, and the cultural richness that language brings to our community. 

Supported by the Fries Center for Global Studies, the Office of International Students, and the Office of Student Academic Resources, this fourth annual week-long series invites all of campus to explore how language shapes identity, belonging, art, politics, and connection. To see the full schedule and descriptions please go to this link. Here are some highlights for this upcoming week!

Highlighted Events:

  • Artolution: Art Through Crisis – an art exhibit created by refugees around the world, opened on 2/18 and is currently on display in Fisk. Come check out the artwork and learn about how art can actively improve quality of life in crisis zones.
  • Thursday, 2/19
    • Habibi Funk DJ Night 7-9pm in Espwesso – a Habibi Funk–inspired listening session centered on Arabic funk, disco, and soul music from the 1960s–80s. There will be free Espwesso drinks!
  • Friday, 2/20
    • Name Framed: Name Translation Workshop 12-1 pm, Boger 114 – learn how to write your name in another Twi and Arabic!
  • Saturday, 2/21
    • Film Screening, Viet and Nam 8-10 pm, CFA Goldsmith Family Cinema – Down in the depths of the dark coal mines, two young miners become secret lovers. The two cherish the brief and tender moments they are allowed to have before one of them leaves the country in search of better opportunities. Sensuously tactile and socially critical, this is one the year’s hidden gems. *Content Warning: The following film contains a scene in which a person died by suicide
  • Monday, 2/23
    • Grad Student Film Screening, Searching for the Folk Philosopher 1-2 pm, Olin 327B – Join us for a screening of a chapter of the film-in-progress Searching for the Folk Philosopher (Dir. Mounir Salah Trương Minh Quý. Arabic with English subtitles. With Ameen Mokdad), followed by a discussion with Wesleyan graduate student Ameen Mokdad, who is the film’s composer and impact producer.
  • Tuesday, 2/24
    • ASL Movie Night 7-9 pm, Frank 100 – Screening of film Deaf President Now! for ASL students as well as anyone who is interested. The film is about a critical moment in Deaf culture and history.
  • Wednesday, 2/25
    • Translation Panel 12-1 pm, Fisk 201 – Join us for an informal Q&A with translators on campus! Ask any burning questions about the practice or translation as a career. Lunch will be provided!
  • Thursday, 2/26
    • Bangla, Belonging & Beyond: The Grim Story Behind International Mother Language Day 5-6 pm, Fisk 201 – Join Sonaly Mehnaz ’28 from Dhaka, Bangladesh and ISAB for a conversation about the meaning of Ekushey February and the origin of International Mother Language Day, reflecting on the history behind the 1952 Language Movement in Bangladesh.
  • Friday, 2/27
    • Faux Amis From Around the World 1:30-2:30 pm, Fisk 209 – Learn about false cognates!
  • Saturday, 2/28
    • Italian Podcast Listening Party 1 pm, Fisk 201 – Join us for a listening party celebrating the live airing on WESU of the first of three podcasts produced by students enrolled in Professor Ellen Nerenberg’s Fall 2025 course Podcasting Middletown’s Italian Treasures.

Join Us For The Fun!

And that’s just the tip of the iceburg! Check out the full list and updated schedule on our website. Power of Language Week invites our community to reflect on how language connects us across borders, generations, and disciplines. Through film, food, performance, scholarship, and conversation, these events highlight the richness of multilingual and multicultural expression on our campus. We hope you will join us, have fun, discover new perspectives, and leave with a deeper appreciation for the power of language in shaping identity, community, and global understanding.