Office of the Mayor

Proclamation

Lawrence, Kansas

WHEREAS:   Our community and communities across America welcome many new neighbors, friends, employees, and visitors from countries and cultures throughout the world; and

WHEREAS:   Increased ties to the global community offers great opportunities and also presents new challenges to communicate with international partners; and

WHEREAS:   Studying other languages has been shown to increase cognitive skills, improve academic performance, and provide life-long learning opportunities; and

WHEREAS:   Foreign language educators promote the benefits of language learning to students, parents, business, industry, health and social service leaders and policy makers throughout the nation; and

WHEREAS:   Language education in the 21^st century includes a commitment to the study of world languages beginning in childhood to enable students to develop the levels of proficiency needed to communicate with people from other cultures at home and abroad; and

WHEREAS:   Lawrence fosters cultural exchanges through the Sister Cities organization, business development, and academic programs and embraces speakers and learners of world languages through our schools, universities, businesses, and community institutions;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Mike Rundle, Mayor of the City of Lawrence, Kansas, do hereby proclaim the year of 2005 to be the

“YEAR OF LANGUAGES”

                                                                   Mike Rundle, Mayor

February 1, 2005