Meet the Changemakers
International Mother Language Day
Join us for an afternoon of activities, workshops, and family fun exploring different languages and cultures to mark International Mother Language Day. Drop in between 12pm and 4pm to discover new and different ideas and get involved in free creative workshops and activities for all ages.
Manchester Museum’s Top Floor is a space for learning, connecting, and inspiring change, and Meet the Changemakers is our quarterly event that gives you the chance to meet the communities, charities, activists, and artists shaping a more sustainable and fair future for Manchester.
The full schedule is below.
12-4pm Stalls and Activities on the Top Floor
Creative craft with Pinc College, creative play with artists from Manchester Art Gallery’s Families of the World project, Turkish games, Heart and Parcel, Read First Bookshop, Hong Kong Community group, Multilingual Manchester object handling, African object handling,
11.30am-12pm WAST Nightingale Choir performance in Living Worlds
Women Asylum Seekers Together is a network of women who are experiencing the Uk’s hostile immigration system. WAST Nightingale Choir composed our songs from different nationalities. We sing to raise awareness of the difficulties women seeking asylum are facing in the asylum journey.
12-1pm Cantonese introduction workshop for beginners (age 14+)
Cantonese is predominantly spoken in Guangzhou, also known as Canton and Hong Kong. In Manchester, over 8,000 East Asian speakers use a Chinese language, with Cantonese being the most prevalent.
Cantonese utilizes tone contours to differentiate words, with the number of tones depending on the final type. Traditionally, Cantonese is said to have nine tones. This workshop will acquaint you with the nine tones of Cantonese through interactive games and theatrical elements.
12-4pm Folk Patterns and Words from Poland and Slavic Culture
This workshop with artist Magdalena Kij focuses on Polish folk art, part of the broader Slavic cultural heritage. Participants will explore Polish Wycinanki (paper cut-outs) folk motifs, and language while reflecting on how traditional patterns and words connect across Slavic countries.
Through a variety of techniques (mixed media) collage, paper art, and drawing, participants will create their own unique pieces. They will incorporate folk elements that can be transformed into personal expression, as well as words from Poland or their native language. This creative process encourages personal expression while celebrating cultural connections.
1-2pm and 3-4pm Exploring Language and Rhythm: a cross-cultural workshop for families with Afrocats
Join Godfrey from Afrocats for a workshop with interactive elements to explore the power of language and rhythm. The focus will be on creating a dynamic and engaging experience for participants using call-and-response chants, simple songs, and rhythmic accompaniment.
1-2.30pm Language as Resistance poetry workshop (age 15+)
Join Manchester-based, British Bangladeshi poet Nasima Bee in exploring identity, heritage and belonging in this special International Mother Language day poetry workshop.
2-3pm One-hour Mandarin introduction workshop for beginners (age 14+)
The beginner workshop covers fundamental knowledge of Pinyin, an understanding of Chinese character structure, basic Chinese character writing, common daily greetings, and more. Participants may also have the opportunity to try writing with a calligraphy brush.
2.15-2.45pm Anansi Storytelling (families)
How Anansi tied Spider, an old traditional Jamaican folk tale, with children’s book author Carrol May Nelson. Open for families of all ages to enjoy.
3-4pm One-hour Hong Kong Sign Language introduction workshop for beginners taught by a Hong Kong Deaf tutor living in Manchester (age 14+)
Hong Kong Sign Language is used by the Deaf community in Hong Kong. It is a visual-gestural language with its own grammar. Despite facing significant marginalization due to language barriers, primary user of Hong Kong Sign Language (HKSL) will be introduced to this language in the workshop. Participants will also learn about Deaf culture and the minority group residing in Manchester.
