International Mother Language Day

Every February 21 · WMLD & Carnival (Speech Competition)

On UNESCO’s International Mother Language Day (February 21), MNTS celebrates Tamil — one of the world’s classical languages — through its annual WMLD & Carnival event. Students participate in a Tamil speech competition, delivering prepared speeches on cultural, linguistic, or literary themes. The Carnival format encourages creativity and confident oral Tamil expression, and in some years features a dedicated Youth Speech category for older students. The event reinforces MNTS’s mission of preserving and promoting the Tamil language in Minnesota and beyond.