Graduates of the Alqalam Academy of Languages had a celebratory graduation ceremony on Saturday.
The ceremony was organized by the Arab Women’s Society of Guelph and an Ottawa French school board, CEPEO, which brought 260 students and parents from Guelph and other cities together. It celebrated the Alqalam Academy of Languages class of the 2023/2024 school year.
The academy teaches languages like Arabic, Urdu, Persian, Maltese, and languages from Afghanistan. Since 2022, the academy has partnered with CEPEO to expand the language program across Canada. There are nearly 1,000 students enrolled in-person and online, said in a press release. The language classes also aim to give students a connection to their heritage, communicate with family members and preserve traditions.
At the graduation ceremony it celebrated teaching languages to younger generations, had student poetry performances, awards and a tribute to the teachers. The academy is looking forward to growing and building a community where language and culture thrive together, said in the release.
